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OF 



FAITH AND MORALS 

STATED BY 

V. Rev. WILLIA \\ BYRNE, D D. 

7H THE APPPOVAL OF 

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BOP^ON: 

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18 am* 20 Essex "Street 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



I 



THE 



CATHOLIC DOCTRINE 



FAITH AND MORALS, 



GATHERED FROM 



SACRED SCRIPTURE, DECREES OF COUNCILS- 
AND APPROVED CATECHISMS, 

BY 

Very Rev. WILLIAM BYRNE, D.D., 

Vicar-General of the Archdiocese of Boston. 

WITH THE SANCTION OF 

His Eminence the CARDINAL, and other Church 
Authorities. 



Second Edition, Revised. 



BOSTON : 
Flynn & Mahony, Publishers. 



v-isGfOX* 




^ 



&te* 



Charles B. Rex, SS., S.T.D., 

Censor deputatus* 



3f mprimatttr : 

►j, Joannes Joseihus, 

Archiepiscopus Bostoniensis 
Die 3 Augusti, 1892. 



Copyright, 1892, By William Byrne. 
All Rights Reserved. 



From the Cardinal. 

Aug. 27, 1892. 
My Dear Doctor, — I congratulate you on 
having enrolled your name in the catalogue of 
American Catholic authors. Your book on 
" Catholic Doctrine/' though unpretentious in 
size, is comprehensive in scope, embracing as it 
does the creeds and sacraments of the Church 
and the moral law. Besides the valuable infor- 
mation it gives to the general reader, it will 
serve as a commentary on the Catechism, and 
will prove a useful vade mecum to Sunday school 
and other teachers who are engaged in instruct- 
ing our Catholic youth. 

Faithfully yours in Christ, 

James Cardinal Gibbons. 

To Very Rev. Wm. Byrne, D.D., V.G. 



Approbation of His Grace of Boston. 

This statement of "Catholic Doctrine" prepared 
by V. Rev. W. Byrne, D.D., V.G. has been examined and 
found substantially correct. It aims to give the chief 
truths of religion briefly and in simple language, and 
should be found useful in classes that have advanced 
beyond the common Catechism. I therefore commend it 
to the attention of the clergy and teaching orders of this 
archdiocese. 

To all those who wish to know the teachings of the 
Catholic Church in matters of faith and morals, it will 
also be found useful and convenient. 

^ John Joseph, 

Archbishop of Boston, 



CONTENTS. 



PART I. 



CHIEF TRUTHS OF RELIGION. 



God. 

The Holy Trinity 

The Three Persons 

Sources of Doctrine 

Canon of Scripture 

The Rule of Faith 

Tradition . 

Creeds 

The Apostles' Creed 

The Creed of the Roman Missal 

The Chief Truths of Religion 

Mysteries 

God, the Creator 

Angels 

The Fallen Angels 

Man 

Destiny of Man 

The Fall of Man 

Original Sin 

Under the Old Law 

The Israelites . 

The Messiah 



3 

5 
6 

7 

8 

io 

ii 

12 
12 

*3 

14 

*5 
16 

17 

*9 

20 

22 

2 3 
24 
26 
27 
29 



VI 



CONTENTS. 



Life of Christ . 

The First Miracle 

Multiplication of the Loaves 

The Paschal Supper 

The Passion of Our Lord 

The Resurrection 

The Apostolic Church 

Jesus Christ 

Christ the Redeemer 

Limbo 

The Holy Ghost 

The Apostles . 

The Church 

One True Church 

Marks of the True Church 

Infallibility of the Church , 

The Pope 

The Virtues 

Faith 

Hope 

Charity . 

Moral Virtues 

Good Works 

Sin 

The Seven Capital Sins 

Forgiveness of Sins 



CONTENTS. 






Vll 


PART II. 


THE MORAL LA W. 


PAGE. 


Human Acts and the Divine Wi 


11 . .84 


Conscience .... 






■ 85 


The Morality of Human Acts . 






. S6 


Law 






87 


The Divine Law 








. 83 


Worship of God 








9 1 


Sins Against Religion 








. 92 


Sins Against Hope . 








96 


Sins Against Charity- 








• 97 


Veneration of Saints 








. 98 


Images 








IOI 


Superstition and Sacrilege 








. 103 


Oaths 








107 


Perjury- 








no 


Vows 








112 


The Lord's Day 








■ "3 


Sabbath Breaking 








. Il6 


Honor Due to Parents 








. Il8 


Sins against Parents 








. I20 


Duties of Parents 








122 


The Civil Law . 








124 


Duties of Employers 








. I2 S 


The Sin of Murder . 








127 


Quarrelling and Drunkenness 






. I30 


Scandals . 








. I32 



Vlll 



CONTENTS. 



Sins against Chastity . . . .134 

Injustice ....... 136 

Cheating in Business . . . 137 

The Sin of Lying . . . . .140 

Slander . . . . . . .142 

Sins of Thought . . . . .145 

Covetousness . . . . . .150 

General Remarks on the Commandments . 151 
The Precepts of the Church . . 9 155 
Hearing Mass . . . . . 157 

Holydays . . . . . 159 

Fasting . . . . . . .160 

Annual Confession . . . . .162 

Easter Communion . . . . .164 

Support of Pastors, etc. .... 166 



PART III. 



THE MEANS OF SALVATION. 

Grace 
Prayer 

Prayer a Duty . 
Qualities of Prayer 
Approved Prayers 
The Lord's Prayer 
Forgiveness of Injuries 
The Hail Mary 
Angelus and Rosary 



168 
171 
*74 

i75 
178 
180 
184 
188 
190 



CONTENTS. 






IX 


AGE. 

Sacrifice . . • . • ,. . 193 


The Mass .... 


e 


19s 


The Mass a Sacrifice 




197 


Types of the Mass . 






198 


The Parts of the Mass 






199 


The Real Presence . 






200 


For Whom Offered . 






2 03 


Purpose of the Mass 






203 


Fruits of the Mass . 






, 205 


Manner of Hearing Mass 






206 


Use of Latin at Mass 






209 


Ceremonies of Mass . 






2IO 


The Sacraments 






213 


The Sacramental Character 






2l6 


The Essentials of a Sacrament 






217 


Seven Sacraments 






. 2l8 


Baptism .... 






. 220 


Baptism Necessary . 






. 224 


Conditions of Baptism 






■ 225 


The Matter of Baptism 






. 226 


Confirmation . 






227 


The Ceremony of Confirmation 






. 229 


Effects of Confirmation 






230 


Preparation for Confirmation 






, 232 


Special Fruits of Confirmation 






• 233 


The Holy Eucharist 






• 235 


Transubstantiation . 






. 236 


The Mode of Christ's Presence 






. 238 



CONTENTS. 



Holy Communion 

Frequent Communion 

Preparation for Communion 

The Sacrament of Penance 

A Double Power 

A Judicial Power 

Confession 

Early Usage 

Examination of Conscience 

Danger of Delay 

Qualities of Confession 

The Seal of Secrecy 

The Manner of Confession 

Absolution 

Contrition * 

Motives of Sorrow for Sin 

Satisfaction 

Temporal Penalty 

Indulgences 

Conditions of Indulgences 

Utility of Indulgences 

Holy Orders 

Hierarchy 

Signs of a Vocation 

Matrimony 

Extreme Unction 

Effects of Extreme Unction 

Death .... 



CONTENTS. 






XI 


PACE. 


The Particular Judgment . . • .302 


Heaven .... 






3°3 


Hell .... 






3°5 


The Resurrection of the Body 






308 


The End of the World 






3 11 


Signs of the End 






312 


The General Judgment 






3*4 


Works of Mercy 






3^1 


Eight Beatitudes 






3i7 


Communion of Saints 






318 


Excommunication 






320 


Purgatory . 






321 



APPENDIX. 



Miracles . 








3 2 7 


Sacred Relics . 








328 


Sacramentals . 








33° 


Holy Oils 








332 


Holy Water 








333 


Religious Festivals 






• * • 


336 


Christmas Day . 








• 339 


Easter Sunday . 








• 344 


Pentecost 








■ 348 


Feast of Sacred Heart 






• 35 2 


Festivals of Blessed Virgin Mary 


355 


Definition of Immaculate Conception 


359 


Titles of Blessed Vir 


gin N 


[ary , 




■ 3 61 



Xll CONTENTS. 








PAGK. 


Other Festivals of the Blessed Virgin Mary 364 


Feast of SS. Peter and Paul . . . 366 


Life of St. Peter 






• 367 


Life of St. Paul 










• 370 


Fast Days 










• 376 


Lent . 










• 376 


Ember Days 










• 378 


Total Abstinence 










• 379 


The Litanies 










. 380 


Special Devotions 










. 381 


Benediction 










■ 381 


Stations of the Cross 








. 382 


Forty Hours' Prayer 








■ 3^3 


The Rosary 








■ 384 


Pilgrimages 










■ 38S 


The Crusades . 










. 3 86 


Sacred Vessels . 










• 387 


Chalice ■ . 










• 387 


Ciborium . 










3^ 


Sacred Vestments 










389 


Amice . m . 










39° 


Alb . . ' . 










> 39° 


Chasuble . 










39 2 


Episcopal Insignia . 










393 


Profession of Faith . 










398 


Catholic Education . 










443 


Definition of Terms 








445 


Index 










449 



PART I. 

CHIEF TRUTHS OF RELIGION. 



1. 

GOD. 
/^OD is the Supreme Being, the great first 
^-^ Cause and sovereign Lord of all. He is 
Almighty and Eternal. He is a pure Spirit, 
non-material, self-existing, intelligent and free. 
He is essential goodness, truth, and beauty. 
He is the highest object of love, because He is 
most amiable in Himself. He is absolute being, 
and perfect in all respects. He is supremely 
happy in Himself and the source of happiness to 
all rational beings, both in time and in eternity. 
He is distinct from the universe. (Vatican 
Council, Sess. iii. Chap, i., a. d. 1870.) 

2. The existence of God can be known by the 
human intellect through the light of reason. 
Man, contemplating himself, the universe and 
the order that reigns therein, has arrived at a 
knowledge of God by a process of reasoning. 
(Ibid. Chap. 11.) " The invisible things of God 
are clearly seen, being understood by the things. 
that are made, His eternal power also, and His 
divinity." (Rom. i. 19) "God left not Himself 



4 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

without testimony, doing good from heaven." 
(Acts xii. 14.) 

3. God, being infinite, cannot be fully known 
by any finite mind, nor can a complete concep- 
tion of Him be expressed in* any language. He 
is ineffable. He is not visible to us in this 
world, although " in Him we live, and move, and 
are." (Acts xvii. 28.) His Providence pre- 
serves, guards, and over-rules all things. 

4. God possesses all perfections -in an infinite 
degree. These perfections are called attributes. 
God is one. There is only one Divine Being, 
as there can be only one infinite being. God 
always was and always will be. " I am Who 
am." (Exod. iii. 14.) He is eternal. He suf- 
fers no change in Himself. He is everywhere 
and pervades all things by His immensity. God 
constantly acts in every part of the universe. 

5. God is all-wise. He knows all that is 
possible to be known. God knows the past, the 
present and the future, and even our most 
secret thoughts. God does all things for the 
best. His wisdom is infinite. The divine will 
is free. God is infinitely holy and just ; He is 
truth itself, faithful to His promises, most merci- 
ful and benevolent. He can do all things, for 
He is the Almighty God. God, being infinitely 
just, will render to every man according to his 



THE HOLY TRINITY. 5 

works. He holds out an eternal reward of hap- 
piness for the good, and endless suffering for 
the wicked. The order that God established in 
the universe, and the laws by w r hich he governs 
all things show forth to all intelligent beings His 
power, wisdom, and benevolence, and contribute 
to His outward glory. These things also exist 
for man's use and benefit. 

2. 

THE HOLY TRINITY. 

6. The mystery of the Trinity is that in the 
one God there are three Divine Persons. ( First 
Council of Constantinople, a. d. 381.) The 
three Divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy 
Ghost, are distinct and equal, and yet they are 
only one God. This is a mystery ; that is, a 
truth of religion certainly revealed, but which we 
cannot fully understand. We know by revela- 
tion that the Father is not the Son, the Son is 
not the Holy Ghost, and the Holy Ghost is 
neither the Father nor the Son. " Baptizing 
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
and of the Holy Ghost." (Matt, xxviii. 19.) When 
Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan, the 
Father spoke from heaven, the Son, as man, was 
on earth, and the Holy Ghost came down upon 
him in the form of a dove. (Matt. iii. 16.) Christ, 
speaking to his disciples, said, " I will ask the 
Father, and he will give you another Paraclete, 



6 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

the spirit of Truth. (John xiv. 16.) In these words 
the three Persons are clearly indicated as dis- 
tinct ; the Father as the person prayed to, the 
Son as the mediator, and the Holy Ghost as the 
gift. Each Person of the Holy Trinity is God, 
and yet there are not three Gods but only one. 

3. 

THE THREE PERSONS. 

7. The Father is God. He is from no other, 
uncreated, unbegotten. He is the Principle from 
which the other two Persons are, and is called 
the First Person. He is also called the Father, 
because the Son is begotten of Him. 

8. The Son, the Second Person, is God. 
This we know from the Gospel of St. John 
and from other inspired Scriptures. " In the 
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with 
God, and the Word was God, and the Word was 
made flesh." (John i. 1.) The Word is the Son 
of God. The Son is eternal. He is begotten of 
the Father and of the Father only from the 
beginning. (Council of Nice, a. d. 325.) 

9. The Holy Ghost, the Third Person, is God. 
(Council of Constantinople, a. d. 381.) St. 
Peter said to Ananias : " Why hath Satan tempted 
thy heart that thou shouldst lie to the Holy 
Ghost ? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God." 
(Acts. v. 3.) The Holy Ghost proceeds from the 



• SOURCES OF DOCTRINE. 7 

Father and the Son, and therefore He is called 
the Spirit of Love. He is also the Spirit of 
Truth. (Council of Toledo, a. d. 447.) 

10. These three Divine Persons having but 
one and the same essence, and being from 
eternity, are one and the same God. (Council of 
Toledo, a. d. 675.) The three Divine Persons are 
co-equal and co-eternal, and alike in all the divine 
perfections. (Council of Florence, a. d. 1439.) 
These perfections are called the attributes of 
God, such as power, wisdom, goodness, etc. 

11. Although the divine action is that of all 
the three Persons the Scriptures ascribe some 
things to one Person, and some to another. To 
the Father, they ascribe power and creation, to 
the Son, wisdom and redemption, and to the 
Holy Ghost, love and sanctification. As the 
mystery of the Incarnation is the greatest mani- 
festation of His love for us, the act by which it 
was accomplished is ascribed to the Holy Ghost. 

4. 

SOURCES OF DOCTRINE. 

12. The sources of Catholic Doctrine are 
the Church, the Sacred Scriptures, and Tra- 
dition. The Church was established by Christ 
to propagate His religion. By giving the 
Church the assistance of the Holy Ghost, the 



8 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Spirit of Truth, He made her forever the 
infallible teacher of all mankind in all matters 
of faith and morals. " She is the pillar and the 
ground of truth." 

13. The Sacred Scriptures, that is, the books 
of the Holy Bible, contain the word of God 
revealed to the writers thereof. They are the 
record of the revelations of religious truth made 
by God from time to time through inspired men, 
and especially through His own Son, Jesus 
Christ The authors of these books were so 
enlightened and guided by the Holy Ghost, that 
their utterances in religious matters were guarded 
from all error. The Church authenticates to us 
the " word of God " in her canon of the Sacred 
Scriptures. 

5. 

THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE. 

14. The canon of Scripture is the list of 
books of the Bible made by the authority of the 
Church. The Latin Vulgate contains all the 
canonical books. This version of the Sacred 
Scriptures is vouched for by the Catholic Church 
as substantially correct. Hence, it is authentic. 
The fact that a book is inspired by the Holy 
Ghost can be known with certainty only on 
the testimony of an infallible authority. The 
Church, which is infallible, makes known to us 
that these books were held by her since the time 
of the Apostles as the inspired word of God. 



THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE. 9 

15. The books of the Old Testament are 
either historical, didactic, or prophetic. The 
books of the New Testament are, the four 
Gospels and the Acts, the Epistles of some 
of the Apostles, and the Apocalypse. These 
books are genuine ; that is, they were WTitten by 
the authors whose names they bear. Some- 
times the author gives his name in the body of 
his work ; sometimes we know the name from 
Tradition. The revelation therein contained was 
communicated to the writers by the Holy Ghost 
or by Christ Himself. (Council of Trent, Sess. 
iv.) God may be truly said to be the author of 
the Bible, inasmuch as it is the result of the 
inspiration of His Holy Spirit, The authors of 
the books of the Bible were prompted by the 
Holy Ghost to write them. He revealed to them 
mysteries not otherwise knowable and some 
truths not in themselves beyond human reason. 
He indicated what facts they were to record and 
guarded them from error. " All Scripture in- 
spired of God is profitable. " (II. Tim. iii. 16.) 
" Holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy 
Ghost." (II. Peter i. 21.) Complete proof of 
the inspiration of the Bible is found in the tradi- 
tional teaching of the Catholic Church. St. 
Augustine "believed the Gospel, moved thereto 
by the authority of the Church. " (Against 
Manes. Chap. vJ) 



10 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

The chief source of doctrine has always been 
the original deposit of faith carried from age 
to age in the ever-living memory of the Catholic 
Church. From Scripture and divine Tradition 
the Fathers of the Church have constantly drawn 
proofs and arguments for the doctrines they 
taught. 

1 6. When the Fathers and great Doctors of 
the Church are unanimous in their interpretation, 
they furnish a guide to the true sense of the 
Scriptures. The decrees of Councils also are 
valuable aids in interpreting the texts quoted 
therein. The Scriptures are to be interpreted 
according to the Catholic Rule of Faith. 

6. 

THE RULE OF FAITH. 

17. A Rule of Faith is a test or standard 
whereby we may distinguish true from false 
doctrine. The Catholic Rule of Faith whereby 
the true sense of the deposit of faith is deter- 
mined, is the infallible teaching Church. Scrip- 
ture and Tradition interpreted by the Church 
may also be called a rule of faith, inasmuch as 
by this criterion we may most effectually prove 
the truth of Catholic doctrines in case of dispute. 
This rule is the ultimate arbiter of all contro- 
versies about religious matters. It is a rule that 
is plain, within the reach of all, safe and certain, 
and lasting for all time. 



TRADITION. I I 

1 8. Neither - Scripture nor Tradition, nor both 
combined, is a practical rule of faith, because 
neither can serve the purpose of a rule of faith 
as above indicated. A rule of faith, to be effect- 
ive and final, must be able to take cognizance 
of a question and announce its decision in a 
manner intelligible to all. It must be a living 
voice, not a dumb oracle. To secure unity of 
faith it must have authority to enforce its 
decisions. Every society has such a judge of 
controversies. The Catholic Church, being a 
perfect society, must necessarily have the same. 
The Scriptures are often obscure and difficult to 
interpret aright, (n. Peter hi. 16.) It is faith in 
the truths of religion and holy living, and not the 
reading of the Bible alone, that save souls. Now 
the truths of religion most necessary to be 
known, are found in the standard creeds of the 
Church. 

7. 

TRADITION. 

19. Some of the truths of religion are not 
contained in the Sacred Scriptures, but have 
been handed down to us from age to age by a 
divinely guarded Tradition in the constant teach- 
ing of the Church. These truths are found in 
the creeds of Christendom, in the writings of the 
Fathers and the great Doctors of the Church, 
and especially in the decrees of the Councils. 



12 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

The Church is the. guardian of these traditions, 
The Sacred Scriptures and divine Tradition 
contain the entire deposit of faith " once given to 
the saints." In these we have all the religious 
truths that it is necessary for us to know in 
order to work out our salvation. 

8. 

THE CREEDS. 

20. The chief doctrines of Religion are 
found in the creeds of the Catholic Church. 
The standard creeds are the Apostles' Creed, 
the Nicene Creed, that of the First Council 
of Constantinople (a. d. 381), the Athanasian 
Creed, and the Creed of Pius IV. The last 
named was issued soon after the Council of 
Trent. The Creed of the Roman Missal is 
substantially the same as that of the First 
Council of Constantinople, with the exception of 
the " filioque " (from the Son) added by the III 
Council of Toledo (a. d. 589). 

9. 

THE APOSTLES' CREED. 

21. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, 
Creator of heaven and earth ; and in Jesus 
Christ, his only Son, our Lord ; who was con- 
ceived by the Holy Ghost ; born of the Virgin 
Mary ; suffered under Pontius Pilate ; was 



THE CREED OF THE ROMAN MISSAL. I J 

crucified, died, and was buried. He descended 
into hell ; the third day He arose from the 
dead ; He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the 
right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from 
thence He shall come to judge the living and the 
dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy 
Catholic Church ; the communion of saints ; the 
forgiveness of sins ; the resurrection of the body ; 
and life everlasting. Amen. 

10. 

THE CREED OF THE ROMAN MISSAL. 

22. I believe in one God, the Father Al- 
mighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all 
things visible and invisible. And in one Lord 
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and 
born of the Father before all ages ; God of God, 
light of light, true God of true God ; begotten not 
made ; consubstantial with the Father ; by whom 
all things were made. Who for us men, and for 
our salvation, came down from heaven; and 
became incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the 
Virgin Mary, and was made man. He was 
crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius 
Pilate, and was buried. And the third day He 
rose again, according to the Scriptures ; and 
ascended into heaven ; sitteth at the right hand 
of the Father; and He is to come again with 
glory to judge both the living and the dead ; of 



14 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

whose kingdom there shall be no end. And in 
, the Holy Ghost, Lord, giver of life, who pro- 
ceedeth from the Father and the Son, who, 
together with the Father and the Son, is adored 
and glorified ; who spoke by the prophets. ,And 
one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I 
confess one Baptism for the remission of sins. 
And I expect the resurrection of the dead, and 
the life of the world to come. Amen. 

11. 

THE CHIEF TRUTHS OF RELIGION. 

23. A creed is a summary statement of the 
chief articles of faith. The Apostles' Creed 
contains the chief mysteries of religion and other 
facts of faith. The truths of religion, the knowl- 
edge of which is most useful to us, are that 
God exists, that He will reward the virtuous in 
heaven, and punish the wicked; that there are 
three Persons in one God, that the Son of God 
became man to save us, and that the human soul 
is immortal. It is our duty to believe, implicitly 
at least, all the truths of religion that God has 
revealed. 

24. A mystery is a truth of religion which human 
reason cannot of itself discover, nor fully under- 
stand even when made known by revelation. It 
is our duty to believe the mysteries of religion 
made known to us by the Church, because it is 
God, Who can neither err nor deceive, that has 



MYSTERIES. 1 5 

revealed them. Some of the mysteries of religion 
are the Trinity, the Incarnation Death and Res- 
urrection of Jesus Christ, the sacrifice of the 
Mass, the Holy Eucharist, the nature of original 
sin in us, and the operations of Divine Grace. 

12. 

MYSTERIES. 

25. God being infinite, and the human mind 
limited, it is impossible for us to fully understand 
or explain the divine nature or the operations 
of God. Hence, some of the truths of religion 
are mysteries, and yet we must believe them 
because they are true. It is a part of the virtue 
of religion to worship God by acknowledging 
our finite nature, and paying Him the homage 
of our whole being, mind, soul, and body. We 
worship God by the homage of our reason, when 
we believe whatever we know He has revealed, 
even though we cannot fully understand it. 

26. God makes our faith in His word a neces- 
sary condition of our salvation. To refuse this 
faith, would be to call in question the Divine 
veracity. The word of God, made known to us 
through His infallible Church, is the prime 
motive of our faith, and the surest basis of 
certitude. 

27. If God had not revealed mysteries of 
religion, some truths that are necessary for our 



1 6 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

salvation would be unknown to us ; and others 
would be known only very imperfectly. We 
would thus be unable to know His holy will or ■ 
to conduct our lives so as to be pleasing in His 
sight. The attainment of our supernatural end, 
which is the happiness of heaven, would thus be 
made impossible. 

13. 

GOD, THE CREATOR. 

28. " In the beginning God created heaven 
and earth." (Gen. i. 1.) Before the creation of 
the universe, nothing material existed. By His 
word only, God called matter into existence, and 
from it evolved the entire universe. The whole 
substance of finite things, whether spiritual or 
material, was produced by God from nothing- 
The infinite Being alone is uncreated, and He is 
God. (Vatican Council, De Fide, i. Can. 5.) 
Finite things are not an emanation or outward 
manifestation of the divine substance, but 
creatures produced by an act of God's almighty 
power. 

29. The creation of the world was the begin- 
ning of time, but the Creator is from eternity. 
God, of his own free will, made the world. He 
is infinitely good, and to show forth his goodness, 
He created the heavens and the earth, angels 
and men. All created things are intended 



ANGELS. 17 

to promote the glory of God and the happiness 
of man. The external, though not the internal 
glory of God, is enhanced by creation. The 
power, wisdom, and goodness of God are thus 
made manifest to all rational creatures. The 
Creator preserves the universe in the existence 
and order in which He established it, and rules 
all creatures by His Providence. He guides 
them to their end, but often works by secondary 
causes. 

14. 

ANGELS. 

30. Angels are pure spirits created by God to 
adore Him and enjoy Him in heaven. They 
also serve as messengers from God to man. 
They are represented in Scripture, as of 
nine orders, namely, seraphim, cherubim, and 
thrones ; dominations, principalities, and powers • 
virtues, archangels, and angels. The holy angels 
worship before the throne of God, sound His 
praises, and minister unto Him. "And all the 
angels stood around the throne, and falling down 
before it, adored God." (Apoc. vii. 2.) Angels 
were sent by God to Abraham and Lot to warn 
them of the doom of Sodom. (Gen. xviii.) The 
Archangel Gabriel was sent to Daniel, the 
prophet, to reveal to him the time of the prom- 
ised Messiah. (Dan. vii.) Raphael was sent to 
be the guide of Tobias. (Tobit v.) Gabriel was 



1 8 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

also sent to Zachary to announce the birth of 
John the Baptist, and to the Blessed Virgin 
Mary. (Luke i. 26.) The Archangel Michael 
is also known to have been the instrument of 
God in banishing Satan from heaven. 

31. Some of the angels fill the office of watch- 
ing over men, and are called guardian angels. 
" He hath given His angels charge over thee, 
to keep thee in all thy ways." (Ps. xcii.) Our 
Lord says of children " their angels in heaven 
always see the face of my Father Who is in 
heaven." (Matt, xviii. 10.) 

32. The angels were destined for the high 
honor and happiness of waiting on the Lord in 
the courts of heaven ; and were endowed with 
great intelligence, beauty, nobility, and super- 
natural graces. At first, they were left for a 
time in a state of probation, and it was only 
those who proved their love and loyalty in the 
day of trial, who were finally established in 
the supernal happiness and glory they now 
enjoy. The angels present our prayers and 
good works to God and pray for us. We should 
reverence the presence of our guardian angel, be 
grateful for his care, and recommend ourselves 
to his protection and intercession. 



THE FALLEN ANGELS. 19 

15. 

THE FALLEN ANGELS. 

33. Some of the angels failed in their duty 
to their Creator, and fell from heaven. " God 
spared not the angels that sinned, but delivered 
them, drawn down by infernal ropes, to the lower 
hell unto torments." (II. Peter ii. 4.) The chief of 
the bad angels and his followers were cast out of 
heaven by the Archangel Michael. " And that 
great dragon, the old serpent, who is called the 
devil and Satan, was cast out of heaven, and his 
angels with him." (Apoc. xii. 8.) 

34. These wicked angels, whose proper home 
is hell, seek to ruin our souls by tempting us to 
sin. "Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring 
lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour." 
(I. Peter v. 8.) Jesus Christ cast out unclean 
spirits from certain persons. (Luke iv. 36.) 
"Resist the devil and he will fly from you." 
(James iv. 7.) The wicked who live and die 
enemies of God, will be the companions of the 
fallen angels in the next life. " And the rich 
man also died and was buried in hell." (Luke 
xvi. 22.) There is no release from the pains of 
hell, either for the fallen angels, or for the souls 
of the damned. 



20 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

16. 

MAN. 

35. Man is one of God's creatures, and is 
made in the image and likeness of his Creator. 
He is a being having a body and a soul, the 
union of which constitutes him a living, intelligent 
creature. His body was made of the dust of the 
earth, but his soul was created from nothing. 
" Dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return. ' ? 
(Gen. iii. 19.) All things that God made we call 
creatures. The material part of man, that which 
we can see and touch, is his body. That which 
gives him life and intelligence but which, being 
a spirit, is invisible to us, is the soul. 

36. The human soul is an immortal spirit, 
endowed with understanding, memory, and free 
will. Man is made to God's likeness chiefly in 
his soul. Like God, he is a spirit, capable 
of knowing, willing and loving. In the three 
faculties of his soul, man is somewhat like to 
God, in Whom there are Three Persons. As 
God is sovereign Lord of all things, so man 
has dominion over all earthly creatures. " Let 
us make man to our own image and likeness." 
(Gen. i. 26.) The body dies when the soul 
leaves it ; but the soul, being a simple, spiritual 
substance, can never die. " The spirit returns to 
God Who gave it." (Eccles. xii. 7.) 



MAN. -21 

37. God made man in His own image and 
likeness, and breathed into him a living soul 
The first man that God made was Adam, and 
the first woman, Eve. He made them free from 
evil, and, moreover, endowed them with super 
natural grace and justice. In this original state, 
they were just and holy in His eyes, and He pro 
nounced them good. He gave them the Garden 
of Eden, an earthly paradise, that they might 
dwell therein, and be happy in knowing, loving, 
and serving Him. He made known to them His 
holy will. He bade them increase and multiply 
and gave them dominion over every living thing 
on the earth. He gave them the use of all the 
fruits of the earth, except that of one tree. Of 
the fruits of the tree of knowledge of Good and 
Evil, He forbade them to eat. 

38. He forewarned them that if they should 
partake of the forbidden fruit, they and their 
children would be deprived of His grace, cast 
out of paradise, and finally suffer death. This 
command was to be the test of their love and 
obedience. Abstinence from this one fruit 
would be the token of their loyalty to their 
Creator, and a proof of their filial piety. It 
would also be a constant acknowledgment of 
their dependence on God. 



2£ CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

17. 

THE DESTINY OF MAN. 

39. God made man that He might know Him 
love and serve Him on earth, and see and enjoy 
Him forever in heaven. It is our duty to know 
God because He is the Truth, to love Him be- 
cause He is goodness itself, most beneficent and 
amiable, and to serve Him because He is our 
sovereign Lord. He has gifted us with intellect 
to know Him, a heart to desire Him, and a will 
to love and serve Him. By the faculty of 
memory, we keep in mind the benefits conferred 
on us by God. These benefits move us to love 
Him and do what is pleasing to Him. By our 
understanding, we know what is good, right, and 
just, and pleasing in God's sight. 

40. We serve God by doing His will, and by 
keeping His commandments. God is our final 
destiny, and when we shall have attained this in 
heaven, we will be happy. In order to secure 
this eternal happiness we must believe firmly all 
the truths that God has revealed. These truths 
He has made known to us by Patriarchs and 
Prophets, and lastly, by His own Son, Jesus 
Christ, through the Church. " God, having 
spoken by the Prophets, hath in these days, 
spoken to us by His Son." (Heb. i. 1.) In 
crder to profit by this knowledge, so as to save 



THE FALL OF MAN. 23 

our souls, we must love God, keep His com- 
mandments, obtain grace by prayer and the 
Sacraments, repent of our sins, and lead good 
lives. 

THE FALL OF MAN. 

41, The devil, envying our first parents their 
happiness, tempted them to eat the forbidden 
fruit. " By the envy of the devil, death came 
into the world." (Wis. ii. 24.) The devil 
seduced Eve by telling her that by eating of 
that fruit they would become " as gods, knowing 
good and evil." (Gen. iii. 5.) Instead of be- 
coming like unto God, they, by the guilt of sin, 
became like unto their tempter, and brought 
misery on themselves and the whole human 
race. 

42. Eve, tempted by Satan, under the form of 
a serpent, ate of the forbidden fruit, and gave 
some of it to Adam, who also ate thereof. This 
was the first sin of man whereby he fell from his 
original state of grace and justice. This sin, 
being that of the first parents of the human race, 
is called original sin. The whole race of Adam 
became at once guilty of this sin, and subject to 
its effects. We are all born with the taint of 
original sin on our souls, and all suffer the 
consequences of it. The effect of original sin is 
to debar the grace of God from the soul, darken 



24 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

the understanding, and weaken the will. The 
proneness to evil which human nature now 
shows, is also an effect of original sin. The 
pains of sickness and the death of the body are 
consequences of the sin of our first parents. 

43. By original sin, mankind forfeited all 
right to heaven, and we should be utterly lost, 
had not God, in His mercy, sent His only Son 
to redeem us. The Saviour of the world was 
promised to our first parents in these words, 
spoken by God to the serpent that tempted Eve. 
" I will put enmity between thee and the woman, 
between thy seed and her seed. She shall 
crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her 
heel." (Gen. iii. 15.) The woman here fore- 
shadowed is the Blessed Virgin Mary, the 
Mother of the Messiah, Christ, the Son of God. 

19. 

ORIGINAL SIN. 

44. Original sin is that sin in which, by in- 
heritance from our first parents, we are conceived 
and born. What in us is called original sin, was 
actual sin in our first parents. The guilt and 
effects of Adam's sin involve the whole human 
race. "As by one man, sin entered into this 
world, and by sin, death, and so death passed 
upon all men ; in whom all men have sinned." 
(Rom. v. 12.) 

45. We are not able to see clearly how or in 



ORIGINAL SIN. 25 

what sense we share in the guilt of Adam. This 
is one of the mysteries of religion. Some think 
that original sin is in us a state of habitual sin 
derived from Adam as well as an inherited defect 
or flaw marring our nature. It is certain that 
our whole nature, both body and soul, is impaired 
by this transmission of the guilt of original sin 
from father to son and that we are born deprived 
of that state of grace with which Adam was gifted. 
This deterioration of our nature and other penal 
effects remain even after the guilt of original sin 
is cleansed from our souls by Baptism. (Second 
Council of Orange, a. d. 529.) Christ saw fit to 
assume human nature, and this should tend to 
make us bear patiently the effects of the sin of 
our first parents. 

46. By the use of reason and helped by divine 
grace,' we can still hold our unruly passions 
subject to the moral law. Our struggles with the 
evil bias of our fallen nature and the ills of this 
life, furnish us with occasions of merit by the 
exercise of virtue. 

47. The Blessed Virgin Mary, in view of her 
great dignity of Mother of Christ and through 
the merits of her Divine Son, was always 
exempt from original sin. She was conceived 
free from any stain of sin. This is known as 
the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin 
Mary. 



26 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

20. 

UNDER THE OLD LAW. 

48. The state of man fallen from sanctifying 
grace was one of separation from God, the 
absence of divine charity from the soul, ex- 
clusion from His holy presence, and inability to 
gain the happiness of heaven. The mercy of 
God, however, provided a means of rescue from 
this fallen state. The hope of this restoration 
was given to our first parents in these words : 
" I will put enmities between thee and the 
woman, between thy seed and her seed." (Gen. 
iii. 15.) By the seed of the woman is indi- 
cated Christ, the son of Mary. The Messiah, 
the Saviour of the world, is promised in these 
words. Faith in this promise of God, and trust 
in the efficacy of the coming redemption, were 
the means of salvation till the actual coming of 
Christ. Thousands of years were allowed to 
elapse under this dispensation of Divine Provi- 
dence. During this time, the human race 
became so wicked that God sent the Deluge to 
destroy it. Noah, who was found just in the 
sight of the Lord, was saved with his family in 
the Ark, and repeopled the earth. In the lapse 
of time, the descendants of Noah attempted to 
build a tower that would reach up into heaven ; 
but the Lord introduced among them confusion 



THE ISRAELITES. 2J 

of tongues, so that they were forced to desist. 
This was the Tower of Babel. 

49. Although men, for the most part, fell 
away from the knowledge of the true God, and 
worshipped a multitude of false gods, and even 
idols, the work of their own hands, faith in the 
promised Redeemer, and the due worship of the 
one True God, were kept up among a few chosen 
souls at first, and finally through one whole 
nation, — the Israelites, the chosen people of 
God. The father of this people was Abraham, a 
descendant of Sem, the son of Noah, who was 
saved from the Deluge in the Ark. 

50. Unto Abraham was renewed the original 
promise of a Saviour made to Adam, inasmuch as 
God revealed to him that all nations should be 
blessed in one that was to be born of the race of 
which he was to be the father. Isaac, the son of 
Abraham, prefigured the future Saviour of the 
world in this that he was offered, though not 
slain, in sacrifice by his father at the command 
of God. 

21. 

THE ISRAELITES. 

51. Jacob, the son of Isaac, was promised the 
land of Chanaan as an inheritance for his 
people, in whom all the tribes of the earth were 
to be blessed. Jacob had twelve sons, the patri- 



28 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

archs of the twelve tribes of Israel. Of these, 
Juda was chosen by God to be the father of 
the tribe in which should be born the Messiah, 
the expectation of the nations. Joseph, son of 
Jacob, was betrayed in his youth into the hands 
of the Egyptians, and after being for a time the 
servant of Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, became 
his chief officer and agent in the government of 
his kingdom. In a time of great famine which 
prevailed in Chanaan, Joseph brought his breth- 
ren into Egypt, and there gave them subsistence. 
They prospered in the land, and multiplied, till 
a new king that knew not Joseph, came to the 
throne. The Israelites were harassed and per- 
secuted by this king, till the Lord was moved 
to send Moses to deliver them out of bondage. 
Moses led them through the Red Sea and into 
the Desert of Arabia. On the eve of their de- 
parture, they killed the Paschal Lamb, a figure 
of our Lord, and sprinkled the door-posts of 
their houses with its blood, so that the avenging 
angel, who smote the first-born of Egypt, should 
see the sign and pass by the children of Israel, 
leaving them unharmed. 

52. During the journey of the Israelites 
through the desert towards the Promised Land 
of Chanaan, the Lord fed them with manna from 
heaven, and gave them, at Mount Sinai, through 
Moses, the law by which they were to be gov- 



THE MESSIAH. 29 

erned. This law was partly for the guidance of 
their moral conduct, and partly for their civic 
government. The moral law thus given to the 
people of Israel is a development of the law 
which God imprints on the heart of every man 
at his creation. This law thus becomes so 
proper to human nature that it is called the 
natural law. All who have the use of reason 
know this law, are conscious of its binding force 
on them, and accept it as their criterion of right 
and wrong. It is found in the Ten Command- 
ments. The Israelites were delayed in the 
wilderness for forty years by their sins and 
frequent disobedience of the orders of Moses. 
At length, Moses died within sight of the Prom- 
ised Land, and his successor, Josue, led the 
people over the Jordan into the land of Chanaan. 
The Ark of the Covenant was set up . at Shiloh. 
Afterwards, Solomon, the son of David, built for 
it the Temple at Jerusalem. To this Temple 
the Ark of the Covenant was transferred, and 
there on Mount Moriah thenceforth all sacrifices 
were offered to the Lord. 

22. 

THE MESSIAH. 

53. The Prophets foretold that the Messiah 
would be born in Bethlehem of a Virgin Mother ; 
that he would enter Jerusalem in triumph ; that 



30 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

he would be betrayed by one that ate at his 
table ; that his hands and feet would be pierced ; 
that he would be wounded for our iniquities, and 
bruised for our sins ; that he would be led as 
a sheep to the slaughter, and would utter no 
complaint, the sacrifice being voluntary. How 
these prophecies were fulfilled is seen in the 
history of our Lord Jesus Christ, recorded in the 
New Testament by the four Evangelists. The 
Saviour of the world did not come until many 
years after the fall of Adam, probably that we 
might have time to learn the great misery into 
which sin had thrown the human race. We 
were thus taught by experience the woful weak- 
ness of human nature and the absolute need of 
a Divine Redeemer. All who lived before the 
coming of Christ could be saved by belief in a 
Redeemer to come, joined with the keeping of 
the commandments of God, or perfect charity. 
God in His mercy applied to men the future 
merits of His Son for their justification, and the 
grace to enable them to keep His command- 
ments. 

54. Before Christ's coming, they were bound 
to act according to the light of reason and such 
revelation as was made known to them. More- 
over, the Jews were bound to obey the law which 
was given them by God Himself, through their 
leader, Moses. 



THE MESSIAH. 31 

55. Christ lived on earth about thirty-three 
years, and led a most holy life in works of charity, 
poverty, and sufferings. He showed us the way 
to heaven by His teaching and example. " I am 
the Way, and the Truth, and the Life." (John 
xiv. 6.) He is c 'the way" by His example, "the 
truth " by His doctrine, and " the life " of our 
souls by His grace. " He that followeth me, 
walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light 
of life." (John viii. 12.) 

56. He is our model ; therefore He says : 
" Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble 
of heart." (Matt. xi. 29.) By word and ex- 
ample, he teaches all the virtues in the highest 
degree, especially zeal for the honor of God, and 
for the salvation of men ; meekness, humility, 
patience, kindness, and mercy towards every 
one, even our greatest enemies ; and obedience 
to His Heavenly Father unto death. He teaches 
young persons to obey, to delight in prayer and 
good works ; to love the house of God, and hear 
the teachers of religion ; and to advance in 
wisdom and grace as they advance in years. 
(Luke ii. 46, 52.) All this will be more clearly 
seen from the brief account of His life which 
follows. 



32 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

23. 

THE LIFE OF CHRIST. 

57. Caesar Augustus, who ruled the Roman 
Empire in peace, sent forth a decree that all the 
subjects of the Roman power should be enrolled. 
As Joseph belonged to the tribe of Juda, he, 
together with his spouse Mary, went up to 
Bethlehem of Juda to obey the decree. This 
was the Jewish mode of taking a census. The 
child Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and cradled 
in the manger of a stable, because there was no 
room for them in the inn. Angels announced 
His birth to the shepherds as good tidings of 
great joy to them and to all the people. A new 
star in the heavens proclaimed the advent of a 
new king of the Jews to the wise men of the 
East, and they, as well as the shepherds, came 
and adored the infant Saviour. On the day He 
was presented in the temple, holy Simeon, taking 
Him in his arms, declared that in Him he saw 
the salvation of the people, and a light unto the 
enlightening of the Gentiles, and the glory of the 
people of Israel. At the same time, the devout 
Anna, with prophetic inspiration, spoke of Him 
to all who looked for the redemption of Israel. 

58. But Herod, the king, fearing that Christ 
would announce Himself as the Messiah, and 



THE LIFE OF CHRIST. 33 

assume the civil as well as the religious govern- 
ment, sought to destioy Him. Joseph, being 
warned from on high, fled into Egypt with the 
Child and its Mother. After the death of 
Herod, the Holy Family returned, and dwelt 
in Nazareth. Jesus remained subject to Joseph 
and His Mother till He was thirty years of age. 

59. In the meantime, He was heralded to the 
people by His precursor, John the Baptist, who 
preached repentance and the coming of the 
Kingdom of Heaven. When Jesus was bap- 
tized in the Jordan by John the Baptist, the 
voice of God proclaimed Him His Beloved Son, 
in whom He was well pleased, and whom men 
were to hear. St. John the Baptist pointed Him 
out as the Lamb of God, who taketh away the 
sins of the world, and declared that He would 
baptize, not with water, but with the Holy Spirit 
and with fire. 

60. Christ being now about to enter publicly 
on His mission, retired into a desert, and stayed 
there forty days in prayer and fasting, during 
which time he resisted all the temptations of the 
devil and finally put him to flight. 

61. On His return to Nazareth, He went into 
the Synagogue on the Sabbath day, and open- 
ing the book of the Prophet Isaias, he read 
therefrom and applied to Himself the words, 
" The spirit of the Lord is upon Me. He hath 



34 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor, to 
heal the broken-hearted, to deliver the captives, 
to give sight to the blind, and proclaim the 
acceptable year of the Lord." (Isaias lxi.) 
When He announced that in Him these words 
of Scripture were fulfilled, the people wondered 
at Him at first, but afterwards became angry 
and thrust Him out of the synagogue. Going 
forth, He called to Him His first disciples, 
Andrew, Simon, Philip, James, and others — 
simple fishermen — who had received from on 
high the faith that in Jesus of Nazareth they had 
found the Messiah spoken of by the Prophets. 

24. 

THE FIRST MIRACLE. 

62. In Cana of Galilee He wrought His first 
miracle, at the prayer of His mother, by 
changing water into wine at a wedding feast 
which he attended to sanctify the bond of mat- 
rimony. When Christ went up to Jerusalem to 
celebrate the Feast of the Passover, and saw the 
traders and money-changers doing business in 
the precincts of the temple, He made a scourge 
of cords and drove them forth, saying : " My 
house is a house of prayer, but you have made it 
a den of thieves." (Mark. xi. 17.) 

63. To Nicodemus, one of the Pharisees who 
came to Him by night, and acknowledged that 



THE FIRST MIRACLE. 35 

he was a teacher sent from God, he said : 
"Amen, Amen, I say to thee, unless a man be 
born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he 
cannot enter the kingdom of God. As Moses 
lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the 
Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever be- 
lieveth in Him may not perish, but may have 
life everlasting. For God so loved the world as 
to give His only-begotten Son, that whosoever 
believeth in Him may have life everlasting. 
But he that believeth not in Him is already 
judged, because he believeth not in the name of 
the only-begotten Son of God." (John iii. 14.) 

64. He went throughout Judea preaching 
repentance and the forgiveness of sins. Some 
that were dead He restored to life ; from others 
He cast out devils. He healed the sick, cured 
the lepers, caused the dumb to speak, and gave 
sight to the blind. His miraculous power and 
heavenly doctrine proved that he was the 
Messiah, and many believed in Him, and were 
converted to the new life of grace. In the cure 
of a certain paralytic in whom He found great 
faith, He said to him : " My son, be of good 
cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee." 

65. After spending a night on a mountain in 
prayer, He selected twelve from among His dis- 
ciples to be His Apostles, the witnesses of His 
works, the hearers of His most mysterious doc- 



36 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

trines, and the teachers of His Gospel. Among 
the Apostles He gave the first place to Simon, 
whom he surnamed Peter (which means a rock), 
intending to make him the corner-stone of His 
Church. 

66. To these Apostles and a multitude of 
disciples He addressed the discourse known as 
the Sermon on the Mount, which briefly sets 
forth the chief moral doctrines of Christianity. 
(Matt, v., vi., vii.) 

25. 

THE MULTIPLICATION OF THE LOAVES. 

67. Christ taught with authority, and not as 
the Scribes and Pharisees, and the people were 
in admiration at His works and His doctrine. 
Many believed in Him and became His dis- 
ciples ; and some, at His invitation, left all and 
followed Him in His journeys, and with Him 
endured all the privations of One who had not 
whereon to lay His head. Many even followed 
Him when He retired into desert places, so eager 
were they to hear His words. There He fed five 
thousand in a miraculous manner, having multi- 
plied five loaves and some fishes till all had 
enough. When His followers sought to make 
Him King, He fled from them and retired for a 
while into solitude. (John vi. 15..) 



THE MULTIPLICATION OF THE LOAVES. 2)7 

68. Afterwards referring to this miracle, and 
preparing the minds of His disciples for the 
institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, 
He said : " Your fathers did eat manna in- the 
desert and are dead. My Father giveth you 
true bread from heaven. For the bread of God 
is that which cometh down from heaven and 
giveth life to the world. I am the Living Bread 
which came down from heaven. If any man eat 
of this bread he shall live forever : and the 
bread that I will give is My flesh for the life of 
the world. He that eateth My flesh and drink- 
eth My blood hath everlasting life, and I will 
raise him up at the last day." 

6g. To St. Peter he said : "Thou art a rock, 
and on that rock I will build My Church, and 
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." 
And again : " I will give thee the keys of the 
kingdom of heaven. Whatsoever thou shalt 
bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and 
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be 
loosed also in heaven." To St. Peter also He 
gave the commission to feed both the lambs and 
sheep of His flock, thus making him and his 
successors the chief pastors of souls. Many 
truths He taught by means of similes drawn 
from the facts of nature, such as the growth of 
seed, the beauty of flowers. 

70. Crossing the Sea of Galilee with some of 



38 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

His disciples, the boat was caught in a storm, 
and the waves rose so high that His companions 
were greatly alarmed. Christ rebuked them for 
their want of faith, and with a word appeased 
the tempest. To the Pharisees, who murmured 
because He entered the house of Matthew, the 
tax-gatherer, He said that His mission was to 
approach sinners, so that he might reclaim and 
save them. While his disciples were crossing 
the lake in a boat He came to them walking on 
the waters. 

71. He selected seventy-two of His followers, 
and sent them in pairs before Him into the 
towns He intended to visit, to prepare the minds 
of the people for His coming. He instructed 
them to act with patience under the trials they 
should meet with, and show meekness even in 
rebuking those who w r ould not receive them. 
He taught also in parables. Some of these 
parables are : The lost sheep, the husbandman 
who sowed good seed, the prodigal son, the 
laborers in the vineyard,* the king's marriage 
feast, the wise and the foolish virgins. 

72. The little children that were brought to 
Him He blessed, and declared that of such was 
the kingdom of heaven, and that it would be a 
great sin to scandalize any of them. He declared 
that their angels saw the face of His Father in 



THE PASCHAL SUPPER. 39 

heaven, and that to enter heaven all should 
become like to them in spirit. 

73. He sought to fortify His Apostles against 
the scandal of the cross by manifesting to some 
of them, in the transfiguration on the mount, a 
gleam of the glory of His Divinity. He taught 
by word and example the true design and use of 
the Sabbath day. The scrupulous cavils of the 
Jews did not turn Him aside from performing 
cures on that day, which, as He declared, was 
made for the benefit of man. 

26. 

THE PASCHAL SUPPER. 

74. When He went up to Jerusalem for the 
last time — about the time of the Paschal fes- 
tival — a multitude of people went out to meet 
Him, and strewing their garments and palm 
leaves in the way, brought Him in triumph into 
the city, singing, " Hosanna to the Son of David. 
Blessed is He who cometh in the name of the 
Lord." (Matt. xxi. 8.) Jesus, foreseeing and 
predicting the future destruction of Jerusalem, 
wept over it. While He was teaching in Jeru- 
salem (John xii. 28), a voice was heard declaring 
that in Him God would be glorified. 

75. For several days He taught the people 
publicly in the Temple, retiring at night to the 
village of Bethany. The Jewish priests grew 



40 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

jealous of His influence with the multitudes 
that flocked to hear Him, and they and the 
rulers became alarmed lest He should seize the 
temporal power of the State. They, therefore, 
conspired to find some cause against Him, and 
sent men learned in the law to ask Him ques- 
tions, hoping that His answers would furnish 
the grounds for criminal charges against Him, or 
at least discredit Him with the people. Jesus 
answered all these questions to the admiration 
of the people, and the confusion of the ques- 
tioners. 

76. Christ foretold His passion and death in 
these words : " Behold we go up to Jerusalem, 
and the Son of Man shall be betrayed to the 
chief priests and the scribes, and they shall 
condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the 
Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and cruci- 
fied, and the third day He shall rise again. And 
if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all 
things to My self/ ' Refraining, through fear of 
the people, from seizing our Lord in public, the 
Sanhedrim, the chief tribunal of the Jews, re- 
solved to capture Him privately; and Judas, 
hearing of their designs, went and bound himself 
to betray his Master into their hands for thirty 
pieces of silver. 

77. In the meantime, the Feast of the Pass- 
over came on, and Christ, having directed two 



THE PASCHAL SUPPER. 41 

of His disciples where to prepare the feast of 
unleavened bread, came in the evening with His 
twelve Apostles, and sat down to His Last 
Supper with them. To rebuke their rivalry, and 
foster in them the virtue of humility, He Himself 
washed their feet, saying, " You call Me Master 
and Lord, and you say well. If I, then, have 
washed your feet, you should do the same for 
each other." Then, after the Paschal feast was 
finished, taking bread in His hands, and giving 
thanks, He blessed it, gave it to His Apostles, 
saying, " Take ye and eat, for this is my body." 
(Matt. xxvi. 26.) In like manner the chalice, 
also, after He had supped, saying, " This is the 
chalice, the New Testament in My blood which 
shall be shed for you. Do this in commemora- 
tion of Me." (Luke xxii. 20.) Thus was insti- 
tuted the Eucharist, to be at once a sacrifice and 
a sacrament. 

78. After His Last Supper with His disciples, 
our Lord withdrew to the Garden of Gethsemane. 
Peter, James, and John accompanied Him. 
While they remained apart, He knelt down and 
prayed three times to His Heavenly Father that 
the chalice of His. passion might pass away from 
Him, adding, " not My will but Thine be done." 
Then He fell into an agony, and His sweat was 
as drops of blood, when an angel came and 
comforted Him. Arising from prayer, He called 



42 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

His Apostles to Him and said, " Behold he that 
is to betray Me is at hand." 

79. Then the servants of the Chief Priest, 
guided by Judas, came and took Him first to 
Annas, and then to Caiphas, the High Priest of 
that year. Before Caiphas the Scribes and 
Elders accused Him of sedition, and that He 
had threatened to destroy the Temple. Caiphas 
said to Jesus, " I adjure Thee by the living God, 
that Thou tell us if Thou be the Christ, the Son 
of God." And Jesus answered, " Thou sayest it. 
Hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting 
on the right hand of power, and coming in the 
clouds of heaven." Then Caiphas rent His 
garments, saying, " He hath blasphemed. What 
need is there of further testimony? What 
think ye ? " And they answered, " He is guilty 
of death." And Peter, who stood near, being 
smitten with fear, denied that he was one of 
His disciples, but afterwards repented and wept 
bitterly. 

27. 

THE PASSION OF OUR LORD. 

80. In the morning, they delivered Jesus to 
Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judea, 
to be put to death, they themselves not having 
the power. Pontius Pilate, learning that He 
was of Galilee, sent Him to Herod Antipas, who 



THE PASSION OF OUR LORD. 43 

was Tetrarch of that province. Herod, however, 
declined to sit in judgment on the case, and sent 
Him back to Pilate clothed in a white garment. 
Pilate, convinced of His innocence, proposed to 
release Him in accordance with the custom that 
one prisoner should be released on the eve of 
the Festival of the Passover. But the Jews 
clamored for the release of Barabbas, a noted 
malefactor, and demanded that Jesus be cruci- 
fied. Seeing Pilate hesitate, they then threatened 
to impeach him before Caesar, as the protector 
of a seditious man. Pilate, weakly yielding to 
their clamor and their threats, delivered Him up 
to the soldiers to be scourged and put to death, 
vainly seeking to clear himself of all complicity 
in His death, by washing his hands, and declar- 
ing that he was guiltless of the blood of this just 
man. The Jews cried out, "Let His blood be 
upon us and upon our children." As they led 
Him away to Calvary, He was obliged to carry 
His own cross, till, fainting under the load, 
Simon of Cyrene was compelled to assist Him. 

81. As He passed on His way, the women of 
Jerusalem wept over Him ; but He bade them 
weep rather for themselves and their children 
and city. His beloved disciple, St. John, His 
Mother, Mary, and other pious women, followed 
Him to Calvary. When they arrived at Gol- 
gotha, the soldiers stript Him of His garments, 



44 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

and then, nailing Him to the cross, crucified 
Him between two malefactors, one of whom 
reproached Him for not using His power to save 
Himself and them ; but the other, being penitent, 
and feeling that he deserved his fate, rebuked 
his fellow, and was rewarded by a promise from 
the lips of Jesus that he would be with Him that 
day in Paradise. The soldiers divided His 
garments among them, casting lots for one that 
was seamless. " Jesus of Nazareth, King of the 
Jews," was the cause which was affixed in writing 
to the head of His cross. The soldiers and 
bystanders and those that passed by, mocked 
Him, and, wagging their heads, asked Him in 
derision to come down from the cross and they 
would then believe in Him. But Jesus, when 
He was reviled, reviled not again, but rather 
prayed the more for His persecutors, and asked 
His Heavenly Father not to lay this sin also to 
their charge. To His mother, who stood by the 
cross, He said, referring to St. John, " Behold 
thy Son ! " and to St. John, " Behold thy mother." 
In His thirst, they offered Him vinegar to drink. 
In His agony, He cried out, " My God, why hast 
Thou forsaken Me ? " 

82. From the sixth to the ninth hour, while 
He hung upon the cross, a preternatural darkness 
came over the earth. At the ninth hour He 
said, " It is finished," and commending His 



THE RESURRECTION. 45 

spirit into the hands of God, He gave up the 
ghost. Immediately the veil of the temple was 
rent, the earth quaked, the rocks were riven, and 
graves opened and gave up their dead. The 
Centurion of the Roman guard, seeing these 
testimonies of nature, believed in the Divinity of 
Christ and was converted. 

83. It being the eve of the Sabbath, and 
Jesus being now dead, Joseph of Aramathea, 
having obtained permission of Pilate, came, and 
with the assistance of Nicodemus and the pious 
women, prepared the body for burial, and wrap- 
ping it in clean linen with spices, laid it in a 
new sepulchre hewn out of the rock, and rolled a 
great stone against the mouth of the sepulchre. 

28. 

THE RESURRECTION. 

84. The Jews, however, hearing that Christ 
had said that on the third day He would rise 
from the dead, and fearing lest the disciples 
would come in the night and remove the body, 
set a guard over the tomb and sealed up the 
door of the sepulchre. At the dawn of the first 
day of the week — that is Sunday — the angel 
of the Lord came and rolled back the stone, and 
our Lord rose triumphant over death. He ap- 
peared to Mary, and afterwards to His disciples 
in Galilee. On the evening of the day He rose 



46 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

from the dead, He stood in the midst of His 
Apostles, who had shut themselves up in a room 
for fear of the Jews. He saluted them, saying, 
"Peace be unto you," and showed them the 
marks of the wounds in His hands and side. 
He talked and ate with them. Repeating His 
salutation, He said to them, " All power is given 
to Me in heaven and on earth. As the Father 
hath sent Me, I also send you ; " and breathing 
upon them, He continued, " Receive ye the Holy 
Ghost; whose sins you shall forgive, they are 
forgiven them ; and whose sins you shall retain, 
they are retained." 

85. Again our Lord appeared to some of 
His Apostles at the sea of Tiberias, while 
they were fishing. As they were unsuccessful, 
He aided them miraculously, so that they drew 
a net full to shore. After eating with them, and 
drawing from St. Peter an avowal of his great 
love for Him, He commissioned him to be the 
chief pastor of His flock, saying, " Feed My 
lambs, feed My sheep." (John xxi. 17.) 

86. Again He appeared unto His Apostles 
and said, " All power is given Me in heaven and 
on earth. Go ye, therefore, teach all nations; 
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and 
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching 
them to observe all things whatsoever I have 
commanded you ; and behold I am with you all 



THE RESURRECTION. 4/ 

days, even to the consummation of the world." 
(Matt, xxviii. 18.) "He that believeth and is 
baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth 
not shall be condemned." (Mark. xvi. 16.) 

87. While the eleven were at table, our Lord 
appeared to them, and rebuked them for their 
slowness of belief, and dulness of understanding. 
Then He showed them that all He had suffered 
was the fulfilment of the scriptures of Moses, the 
prophets, and the Psalms. After eating with 
them, He commanded them to tarry in Jerusalem 
and await the coming of the Paraclete, the 
promised of the Father, when they would all be 
baptized, not with water, but with the Holy 
Ghost, as He had already promised them in 
these words : " I will ask the Father, and He 
will give you another Paraclete, that He may 
abide with you forever." "When He, the Spirit 
of Truth, is come, He will teach you all truth." 
"You shall receive the power of the Holy 
Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be wit- 
nesses unto Me in Jerusalem and in all Judea, 
and even to the uttermost parts of the earth." 
To St. Peter was assigned the duty of confirm- 
ing the brethren. 

88. For forty days our Lord, at intervals, ap- 
peared to His Apostles and disciples, and taught 
them the doctrines of the Church which He had 
founded on earth to be the pillar and the ground 



48 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

of truth, as St. Paul afterwards describes it. All 
men He commanded to hear this Church. (I. 
Cor. xv. 6.) He appeared at one time to more 
than five hundred of His disciples. He de- 
clined to reveal to them the time of His 
second coming. And leading them out to 
Bethany, He blessed them, and while they 
looked on, He was raised up, and a cloud re- 
ceived Him out of their sight; and so He 
ascended into heaven, and angels announced to 
them that He would be seen coming again in 
the clouds of heaven. To His Apostles He left 
the power of working miracles in His name, the 
ordering of the household of the faith, and the 
spiritual care of mankind. 

29. 

THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH. 

89. Ten days later, after the Apostles had 
elected Mathias to take the place of Judas and 
while they were assembled in prayer in an upper 
chamber in Jerusalem, the Holy Ghost came 
down upon the Apostles in the form of tongues 
of fire, and as the rushing of a mighty wind that 
filled the whole house. 

go. They then began to preach Christ crucified 
as the Messiah in the streets of Jerusalem. 
Multitudes were converted by the preaching and 
miracles of St. Peter and the others. Finally, 



THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH. 49 

they separated, and carried the Gospel into the 
neighboring nations and thence into the whole 
known world, and became martyrs to the faith. 

91. St. Paul was added to their number by a 
special call from our Lord Himself, given to him 
in a miraculous vision, during which he was 
struck blind. He recovered his sight and re- 
ceived Baptism through Ananias, one of the 
Christians of Damascus. As soon as he had 
received the Holy Ghost, he began to preach 
Christ in the synagogues, and declared his belief 
that Jesus was the Son of God, where he formerly 
advocated and aided in the persecution of the 
Christians. 

92. St. Peter, having been cast into prison by 
Herod, was delivered therefrom by an angel. 
He then went to Antioch, and there, converts to 
the faith soon became numerous, both from the 
Jews and the Gentiles. He convinced some 
cavillers among his disciples that he had a 
mission from God to call the Gentiles unto 
repentance and the new life of grace. 

93. The question of circumcising the con- 
verted Gentiles arising, the Apostles assembled 
in Jerusalem, and took counsel among them- 
selves how to decide it. After much discussion, 
following the lead of St. Peter, and the advice 
of St. James, they decided that inasmuch as God 
had purified the hearts of these Gentiles by 



50 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

faith, and given them the Holy Spirit, and made 
no distinction of Jew or Gentile, it did not be- 
come them to put that needless and over-burden- 
some yoke on the necks of the disciples. 

94. St. Peter, after some time, transferred his 
See to Rome, then the empire city of the world. 
Here he suffered martyrdom in the time of Nero. 
As St. Peter was, by our Lord's appointment, 
the head of the Church, the infallible teacher of 
all Christian truth, his successors in his See of 
Rome have all held the same office and per- 
formed the same function. The present Pope 
of Rome is the legitimate successor of St. Peter. 
He is, therefore, the centre of unity, the infalli 
ble head of the Catholic Church, the source 
of jurisdiction, and the judge of all controversies 
relating to spiritual things. 

95. The knowledge of the organization and 
doctrines of the Catholic Church is transmitted 
from age to age in the Sacred Scriptures, and 
in the ever-living memory of the Church itself, 
which is called Tradition. 

30. 

JESUS CHRIST. 

96. God the Son, the second Person of the 
Trinity, having become man, is called Jesus 
Christ. He is the Saviour of the world. The 
name Jesus was given to Him by the Archangel 



JESUS CHRIST. 51 

Gabriel at the Annunciation. u Thou shalt call 
His name Jesus, for He shall save His people 
from their sins." (Matt. i. 21.) He is the 
Messiah promised to the ancient Patriarchs. 
He is the expectation of the nations foretold by 
the Prophets. He is Emmanuel, God with us. 
He is the Christ, the anointed one, having the 
character and office of King, Priest, and Prophet. 
" Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with 
the Holy Ghost and with power." (Acts. x. 38.) 

97. Jesus Christ is both God and man. He 
is called the God-man, because the divine Per- 
son, the Son of God, assumed human nature, 
i. e., body and soul, when He was conceived 
by the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Son was 
always God, but in time became man for our 
redemption. " And the word was made flesh." 
(John i. 14.) 

98. Christ has two natures, the divine and 
human united in one Person, viz., that of the 
Son of God. (C. of Chalcedon a. d. 451.) 
These two natures are not blended into one, 
but, remaining distinct, are but one Person, the 
Person of the Son of God replacing the human 
personality. There are also in Christ the divine 
will and a human will. (Council of Constanti- 
nople a. d. 680.) " Not My will, but Thine be 
done." (Luke xxii. 42.) 



52 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

31. 

CHRIST THE REDEEMER. 

99. God the Son became man to redeem and 
save us. Jesus Christ, by satisfying divine 
justice by an atonement of infinite value, re- 
deemed mankind from the doom it incurred by 
sin. He appeased the divine anger by His self- 
humiliation, gave perfect satisfaction to divine 
justice by his human life and suffering, and by 
His death on the cross. The sufferings of Christ 
being those of a God-man, had an infinite value, 
and more than sufficed to make amends for the 
sins of mankind. This is the great atonement 
whereby God and erring man were reconciled. 
This is the only way that full and worthy satis- 
faction for sin could be made, though God, no 
doubt, could by the exercise of His mercy accept 
less and pardon sin. We revere the name Jesus. 
" There is no other name under heaven whereby 
men must be saved." (Acts iv. 12.) 

100. Although Christ has merited salvation 
for all mankind, some will fail to be saved. 
Man, having free will, may neglect to do what is 
necessary to share in the benefit of redemption. 
He may refuse to believe in Christ as his Saviour, 
or neglect to use the necessary grace, or violate 
the commandments of God and remain impeni- 
tent for his sins. 



LIMBO. 53 

ioi. By His death on the cross, Christ 
showed the excess of His love, and purchased 
every blessing for us. " Greater love than this 
no man hath, that a man lay down His life for 
His friends." (John xv. 13.) But Christ laid 
down His life even for His enemies. From 
the sufferings and death of Christ we learn the 
enormity of sin, the hatred God bears to it, and 
the necessity of satisfying for it. The greatness 
of the evil of sin appears from the terrible 
chastisement it deserves, the great atonement it 
requires, and the infinite majesty of Him whom 
it offends. The hatred God bears to it is shown 
by the penalty attached to it. 

102. Although Christ has paid the full penalty 
for sin, this does not exempt us from the duty 
of doing penance. We must deny ourselves, 
take up our cross, join with Him in suffering, 
and thus share in the merit of His atonement. 

32. 

LIMBO. 

103. The day on which Christ died is called 
Good Friday. The soul, but not the divinity of 
our Lord, was separated from His body from 
the moment of His death till His resurrection. 
After Christ's death, His soul descended into 
hell. (Apostles' Creed.) The hell into which 
Christ's soul descended was not the hell 



54 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

of the damned, but a place of waiting called 
limbo, where the souls of the saints who died 
before Christ were detained till His Ascension. 
" Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer 
Thy Holy One to see corruption." (Ps. xv. 10.) 
In Scripture limbo is also called " Abraham's 
bosom ; " because it was a place of rest and 
peace ; for there, pious souls had nothing to 
suffer, but enjoyed the sleep of peace awaiting 
the coming of the Lord. The souls detained 
in limbo were the souls of St. Joseph and 
St. John the Baptist, and the souls of the many 
saintly patriarchs and prophets spoken of in 
the Old Testament. Christ descended into 
limbo, St. Peter says, " to preach to those souls 
who were in prison," that is, to announce to 
them in person, the glad tidings of their deliver- 
ance. (I. Peter iii. 19.) While Christ tarried 
in limbo His presence turned that place into 
a paradise, according to what He said to the 
penitent thief on the cross, " This day shalt 
thou be with me in paradise." (Luke xxiii. 43.) 
Heaven was shut against mankind by the sin 
t)f our first parents, and it could not be opened 
to any one till after the death of Christ. 

104. The souls of the saints who died before 
Christ, went to heaven when Christ ascended 
there. He freed them from captivity, and brought 
them with Him to heaven. " Ascending on high 



LIMBO. 55 

He led captivity captive. Now that He ascended, 
what is it, but because He also descended first 
into the lower parts of the earth." (Ephes. iv. 
8-9.) His body remained in the grave during 
part of Good Friday, all Holy Saturday, and a 
part of the morning of Easter Sunday when His 
soul returned to it and it became once more a 
a living body. 

105. On Easter Sunday, the third day after 
His death, Christ arose, body and soul united, 
glorious and immortal, from the dead. St. Paul 
says : " Christ rising again from the dead, dieth 
now no more ; death shall no more have domin- 
ion over Him." (Rom. vi. 9.) Christ foretold 
His resurrection. On visiting the Temple at 
Jerusalem on one occasion, He said to the Jews : 
" Destroy this temple, and in three days I will 
raise it up. . . . But He spoke of the temple 
of His body." (John ii. 19-21.) In ascending 
into heaven, Christ is said to enter on His glory. 
The glory of Christ's soul consists in seeing God 
as He is, and in possessing Him ; and this glory 
His soul enjoyed from the first moment of its 
existence. The glory of His body consists in 
having all the qualities of a glorified body. 

106. By dying on the cross, Christ showed 
that He was man, and by raising Himself from 
the dead, He proved Himself God. It was by 



56 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

His own power that our Lord raised His body 
from death to life; which He could not have 
done if He were not God. The resurrection of 
Christ, besides being one of the chief proofs of 
His Divinity, is also a proof of the truth of the 
Christian religion. Hence St. Paul says : " If 
Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching 
vain, and your faith is also vain ; but now Christ 
is risen from the dead, the first-fruits of them 
that sleep." (I. Cor. xv. 14-20.) 

107. Christ dwelt on earth forty days after 
His resurrection to confirm His Apostles in their 
faith in Him and in the reality of His risen body 
to teach them more truth, and to establish His 
Church. In the Acts of the Apostles, we read : 
" To whom He showed Himself alive after His 
passion, by many proofs, for forty days appearing 
to them, and speaking of the kingdom of God." 
(Acts i. 3.) 

108. After forty days, Christ ascended from 
Mount Olivet, body and soul, into heaven. 
Christ ascended into heaven — To enter into His 
glory as conqueror of death and hell (Luke xxiv. 
26), and to be our mediator and advocate with 
His Father, (Heb. ix. 24) ; and also to open 
heaven to man and prepare a place for us; 
(John xiv. 2) ; and to send the Holy Ghost to 
His disciples. (John xiv. 7.) Christ sits at 
the right hand of God the Father Almighty, in 



LIMBO. 57 

heaven. (Apostles' Creed.) This indicates that 
Christ, as God, is equal to the Father in all 
things ; and that as man, he is in the highest 
place in heaven, next to God in power and glory. 
The sacred body of Christ after His resurrection, 
is a glorified body. It is no longer subject to 
pain or change or wants of any kind. It as- 
sumed the qualities of a glorified body, and is 
no longer fettered by the conditions of earthly 
bodies. It became impassible, lucid, subtle, 
and agile, while yet substantially the same body 
that suffered on the cross. 

109. We also shall rise glorious, if we share 
in the redemption. " For as the sufferings of 
Christ abound in us, so also by Christ doth our 
comfort abound.'' (II. Cor. i. 5.) "Knowing 
that He Who raised up Jesus will raise up us 
also with Jesus." (II. Cor. iv. 14.) Our bodies 
also at the general resurrection, will be joined to 
our souls endowed with the same qualities that 
the glorified body of Christ now possesses. We 
are " pilgrims and strangers on the earth " (Heb. 
xi. 13), and our true country is heaven, whither 
Christ has gone to prepare a place for us. " Be 
not wearied, fainting in your minds ; " but " look- 
ing on Jesus, Who, having joy set before Him, 
endured the cross, despising the shame, and now 
sitteth on the right hand of the throne of God." 
(Heb. xii. 2-3.) 



58 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

33. 

THE HOLY GHOST. 

Iio. The Holy Ghost is the third Person of 
the Blessed Trinity. He proceeds from the 
Father and the Son, as from a single source. 
(C. of Toledo, a. d. 447.) " But when the Para- 
clete cometh, whom I will send you from the 
Father, the spirit of Truth who proceedeth from 
the Father, He shall give testimony of Me." 
(John xv. 26.) "God hath sent the spirit of 
His Son into your hearts." (Gal. iv. 6.) 

in. The day on which the Holy Ghost came 
down upon the Apostles is called Pentecost, 
because it is fifty days after Easter. It is also 
called Whitsunday or the Sunday in white, 
because in the early Church the Catechumens, 
after having been baptized on this day, assisted 
at Mass clothed in the white garments they 
received in Baptism. 

112. The Holy Ghost descended on the 
Apostles in the form of cloven tongues of fire. 
This indicated that the mission of an Apostle 
was to preach the gospel of divine charity to 
men of divers tongues. " They were filled with 
the Holy Ghost and began to speak with divers 
tongues, and every man heard them speak in his 
own tongue." (Acts ii. 4, 6.) This gift of 
tongues enabled them to preach the Gospel to 



THE APOSTLES. 59 

all nations. When an Apostle spoke, each person 
of whatever nation he was, understood him as if 
he was speaking in his own tongue. There were 
about one hundred and twenty persons including 
the Blessed Virgin Mary present at the descent 
of the Holy Ghost. 

113. The Holy Ghost ever abides with the 
Church, making it holy, leading it into all truth, 
and enabling it to teach religion to all nations. 

34. 

THE APOSTLES. 

114. The names of the twelve Apostles are 
Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholemew, 
Thomas, Matthew, James the Less, Thaddeus, 
Simon, Judas, in whose place Matthias was sub- 
stituted, after his betrayal of our Lord. St. Paul 
is also called an Apostle because he had his 
mission direct from Christ Himself in a vision 
after the Ascension. He is the Apostle to the 
Gentiles. St. Peter, by his first sermons, con- 
verted thousands of souls. 

115. The Gospel, which means good tidings, 
contains the New Law of grace and love, which 
Christ established for the guidance of His 
disciples in the way of salvation. It is the 
Christian law. 

116. The disciples of our Lord were first 
called Christians at Antioch, about ten years 



60 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

after the Ascension. We are Christians by 
being baptized. We are known to be such by 
professing and practising the Christian religion, 
and by the use of the sign of the Cross. A 
Christian is, therefore, a person who is baptized 
and who inwardly believes and openly professes 
the faith and law of Christ. 

35. 

THE CHURCH. 

117. The Church is the divinely appointed 
guardian and interpreter of the truths revealed by 
God. The Scripture is the written, and divine 
Tradition the unwritten word of God. We are 
to receive both on the authority of the Church. 
Hence St. Paul says, " Hold the traditions which 
you have learned, whether by word or by our 
epistle.' , (II. Thess. ii. 14.) 

118. The Church does not add anything to 
divine revelation, nor propose new truths for our 
acceptance, although from time to time, she, by 
her dogmatic definitions, shows us more clearly 
what we are to believe. Thus the doctrine of 
the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Vir- 
gin was defined in the year 1854, by our late 
Holy Father, Pius IX. ; and the doctrine of the 
infallible authority of the Pope in teaching the 
Universal Church, was defined by the Vatican 
Council in 1870. This does not mean that any 



THE CHURCH. 6l 

new truth of faith was then revealed by God 
which had not been already revealed, but that a 
truth was then so declared that its revelation 
could no longer be denied without the sin of 
heresy. 

119. The Church and the Sacraments are the 
chief means provided by Christ whereby men 
may share in His atonement. The Mass is also 
a fruitful means of grace. The Church is the 
bociety of those who have received Christian 
baptism, profess the true faith, and are obedient 
to pastors holding communion with the Pope, 
the visible head of the Church on earth. The 
Church consists of authorized teachers of faith 
and morals, and of docile disciples. 

120. The faith of the members of the true 
Church is the same everywhere ; the same truths 
are taught by her pastors, the same faith held by 
her children, and all the faithful share in the same 
Sacraments. It is through grace and through the 
Sacraments worthily received that we are united 
to Jesus Christ, and to one another : " For we, 
being many, are one bread, one body, all who 
partake of one bread." (I. Cor. x. 17.) Our 
lawful pastors are the Bishops of the Catholic 
Church. The one visible head of the Church on 
earth is the Pope : Jesus Christ is its invisible 
head. 



62 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

36. 

THE ONE TRUE CHURCH. 

121. The true Church is called the Holy 
Catholic Church. As there is but one Lord, one 
Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all, 
there can be but one true Church. (Ephes. iv. 
5, 6.) "There shall be one fold and one shep- 
herd" — (John x. 1 6) — that is to say, one true 
Church governed by one Supreme Pastor. All 
must belong to the true Church in order to be 
saved ; yet some may belong to it by desire or 
in spirit, though not in visible communion with 
it. (Acts ii. ; Luke x. ; John x. ; Matt, xviii.) 
There is no salvation for any one who, 
knowing or being able to know the true 
Church, culpably refuses to enter it. The 
Scripture says, " The Lord added daily to their 
society " (i. e., to the Church) " such as should 
be saved." (Acts ii. 47.) Our Lord says, 
" Other sheep I have that are not of this fold ; 
them also I must bring and they shall hear my 
voice ; and there shall be one fold and one 
shepherd." (John x. 16.) The Catechism of 
the Council of Trent says that the ark is a figure 
of the Church. Whoever enters her by baptism, 
may be saved. Those who, through their own 
fault remain outside the ark, will be over- 
whelmed by sin. To teach us the duty of 



THE MARKS OF THE TRUE CHURCH. 63 

obeying the Church Christ says, " If he will not 
hear the Church let him be to thee as the 
heathen and the publican." (Matt, xviii. 17); 
and " He that heareth you, heareth Me ; and he 
that despiseth you, despiseth Me." (Luke x. 
16.) 

37. 

THE MARKS OF THE TRUE CHURCH. 

122. The marks of the true Church are Unity, 
Holiness, Catholicity, and Apostolicity. The 
marks of the true Church are characteristics that 
distinguish it from all other so-called churches ; 
and no church not having these four marks can 
be the true church. 

123. The Apostles' Creed mentions two of 
these marks or signs — namely, Holy and Cath- 
olic : " I believe, the Holy Catholic Church." 
The Nicene Creed points out all the four marks 
saying : " I believe, One, Holy, Catholic, and 
Apostolic Church." Christ founded only one 
Church as He has taught but one faith, insti- 
tuted one baptism, etc. (Ephes. iv. 5.) " Upon 
this rock," He says, " I will build My Church," 
not churches. (Matt. xvi. 18.) Again " There 
shall be one fold and one shepherd." (John 
x. 16.) The Church is one in being one body 
animated by the same spirit, and one fold under 
one Shepherd, Jesus Christ." (Ephes. iv. 4.) 



64 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

The Church is also one, in that all its members 
believe the same truths, have the same sacra- 
ments and sacrifice, and are under one visible 
head on earth. The Church is one in faith, 
in worship and in government. 

124. The Church is holy in its founder, Jesus 
Christ ; in its doctrines, which are holy in them- 
selves and lead men to holiness ; in its sacraments, 
and sacrifice; and in a number of its children 
who have been eminent for holiness in all ages. 
Jesus Christ, its founder, is holiness itself, and He 
died to sanctify the Church (Ephes. v. 25, 26). 
The Church is holy in its doctrines or teaching, 
because it teaches the truth of God which is 
infinitely holy. Its means of grace, namely, the 
Sacraments, prayer, Holy Mass, etc., are emi- 
nently holy and powerfully tend to holiness ; and 
hence the number of its children of all states 
and conditions in life who have been distin- 
guished for holiness in all ages. There have 
been in the Church at all times saints whose 
holiness God has vouched for by miracles and 
other signs of His favor. 

125. The Church is catholic or universal 
because she has the mission to teach all truth 
to all nations forever. This is seen from the 
commission given by Christ to His Apostles : 
"Go ye, therefore, teach all nations whatso- 
ever I have commanded you;" "and behold I 



THE MARKS OF THE TRUE CHURCH. 65 

am with you all days even to the consummation 
of the world/' (Matt, xxviii. 19, 20.) 

126. The Church is apostolic because it 
was founded by Christ, and is governed by the 
lawful successors of the Apostles ; and because 
it never ceased and never will cease to teach 
their doctrine. (Ephes. ii. 20.) The Church is 
apostolic in her origin and doctrine, in her 
orders and in her mission, having received 
them from Jesus Christ when He founded the 
Church in the time of the Apostles. "Built 
upon the foundation of the Apostles, Jesus 
Christ Himself being the chief corner-stone." 
(Ephes. ii. 20.) Again Christ said to St. 
Peter : " Thou art Peter, and upon this rock 
I will build My church." (Matt. xvi. 18.) The 
Church is apostolic in her orders. " For this 
cause," says St. Paul, " I left thee in Crete 
that thou shouldst ordain priests in every city, 
as I also appointed thee." (Titus i. 5.) And 
in her mission : " As the Father hath sent Me, 
I also send you." (John xx. 21.) The lawful 
successors of the Apostles are those who duly 
succeed them in the mode established by Christ, 
namely, the bishops of the holy Catholic Church. 
The Church never will cease to teach the same 
doctrines taught by the Apostles, because Christ 
promised to the pastors of His Church : " Behold 
I am with you all days even to the consumma- 



66 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

tion of the world " (Matt, xxviii. 20) ; that is, with 
their lawful successors to the end of time. 

127. The Roman Catholic Church alone can 
lay claim to those four marks. The Protestant 
Church does not enjoy unity, because its various 

'* branches in different countries yield obedience to 
no common head and differ widely in doctrine ; it 
is not holy, because its founders (Luther and 
his associates), were not holy and some of its 
doctrines lead to immorality; it is not catholic 
because it did not exist before the sixteenth 
century, and it is local not universal ; and it is 
not apostolic because it did not appear until 
long after the time of the Apostles. 

128. The Catholic Church alone is one, holy, 
catholic, and apostolic. She alone, therefore, 
has the marks of the true Church. She alone is 
the true spouse of Jesus Christ. She alone is 
the pillar and the ground of truth. The Church 
is our mother, for she has given us spiritual 
birth in baptism ; she nourishes us with the word 
of God, and with the Bread of Angels ; and 
brings us up in the fear and love of the Lord. 
This holy mother constantly prays for, comforts 
and assists all her children, and that not only 
during life, but even after their death should 
they be suffering in purgatory. 



INFALLIBILITY OF THE CHURCH. 6j 

38. 

INFALLIBILITY OF THE CHURCH.* 

129. The Church is infallible, that is, she 
cannot err in teaching matters of faith or morals. 
" Go ye, therefore, teach all nations, and behold 
I am with you to the end of the world." (Matt, 
xxviii. 19.) In these words Christ declared that 
He would be with the Apostles not only during 
their lives but with their successors to the end 
of time. The Church teaches either through the 
Bishops in their respective dioceses or in general 
council assembled. The unanimous teaching of 
the Bishops throughout the world in union and 
accord with the Holy See is, by the providence 
of God, guarded from error. The decrees of 
general councils called and presided over by 
the Pope or confirmed by him, are infallible. 
(John xvi. 13.) What the entire Church be- 
lieves in matters of religion is also infallibly 
true. " The spirit of truth shall abide with you." 

The greatest of the general Councils were, 
Nice, a. D. 325 ; Constantinople, A. D. 381 ; 
Ephesus, A. D. 431 ; Chalcedon, a. d. 451 ; IV. 
Lateran, a. d. 12 15; Florence, a. d. 1438-40; 
Trent, sixteenth century, and Vatican, a. d. 1869. 

130. Christ remains always with His Church 
that He Himself, directing and assisting by His 
holy spirit the pastors of His Church, may teach 

* See Note, page 431. 



68 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

all ages and all nations. Christ's promise to 
remain always with His Church guarantees two 
essential points : integrity and purity of doctrine, 
and sanctity of life. Jesus Christ will make 
good this promise by always dwelling in the 
hearts of the faithful and guiding their teachers, 
by His sacramental presence in the Holy Eucha- 
rist and by His providential care and constant 
protection of His Holy Church. Christ also 
promised to His Church that " the gates of hell 
shall not prevail against it." (Matt. xvi. 18.) 
The gates of hell signify not only the power of 
the devil and his agents, but also schisms, here- 
sies, scandals, etc. 

131. In the true Church we have the com- 
munion of saints and the forgiveness of sins. 
(Apostles' Creed.) The greatest good we have 
in the true Church is that we have the true faith, 
because " without faith," according to St. Paul, 
" it is impossible to please God." Another 
benefit we have in the true Church is the 
communion of saints, that is, the union and 
mutual help that exist among all the members 
of the Church — in heaven, in purgatory and on 
earth. The forgiveness of sins means that Christ 
left to the pastors of His Church the power 
of forgiving sins. Christ gave them this power 
when He said, " Receive ye the Holy Ghost ; 
whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven 
them." (John xx. 22, 23.) 



THE POPE. 69 

132. St. Peter fixed his See at Rome and 
reigned there for twenty-four years. There he 
suffered martyrdom for the faith, being crucified, 
but with his head downward at his own request. 
The office of St. Peter did not expire with him ; 
for, as the Church was to subsist in unity 
throughout all ages, the authority and supre- 
macy of St. Peter was transmitted to his suc- 
cessors, the Bishops of Rome. 

39. 

THE POPE. 

133. The Church is called Roman because 
the visible head of the Church is the Bishop of 
Rome. Christ gave a visible head to His Church 
because, as the Church is a visible society, it 
was proper that it should have a visible head. 
This visible head of the Church is the centre by 
which the Church of Christ, throughout the 
whole world, is united in one body. The Pope, 
who is Christ's vicar on earth, is visible head of 
the Church. The term Pope signifies Father; 
and he, being the chief pastor of the Church, is 
the common spiritual Father of all Christians. 
Vicar is one who fills the office of another ; one 
who acts in the name of another in his absence 
and by his authority. The Pope succeeds St. 
Peter, who was chief of the Apostles, Christ's 
vicar on earth and first Pope and Bishop of 



70 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Rome. Christ said to St. Peter : " Thou art 
Peter, and upon this rock I will build My 
Church ; and I will give to thee the keys of the 
kingdom of heaven." And again : " Feed My 
lambs, feed My sheep." (Matt. xvi. ; John xxi.) 
Peter signifies a rock. St. Peter's name at first 
was Simon, and in the Gospels he is frequently 
called Simon Peter. The possession of the 
keys is a sign of supreme power in the spiritual 
order. The keys are a sign of authority to rule 
and govern the Church. " I will lay the key of 
the house of David upon his shoulder, and he 
shall open and none shall shut ; and he shall 
shut and none shall open." (Is. xxii. 22.) 
These texts of Scripture prove that Christ gave 
to St. Peter, and to his lawful successors, the 
care of His whole flock, that is, of His whole 
Church both pastors and people. It is evident 
from all this that Christ built His Church upon 
Peter as upon a rock, that He gave to him in 
particular the keys of the kingdom of heaven, 
and that He commissioned him alone to feed 
His whole flock. 

134. The Pope enjoys the same infallibility as 
the Church when as supreme Pastor of the 
flock of Christ he defines, by virtue of his 
apostolic authority, as from the chair of 
Peter, doctrines of faith or morals to be held 
by all the faithful. (Vatican Council, Chap, iv.) 



THE VIRTUES. */\ 

By faith is here meant what we must believe ; 
by morals what we must do to be saved. The 
pious acquiescence of the faithful is given to 
less formal teachings of the Holy See. " I 
have prayed for thee, Peter, that thy faith fail 
not ; and thou being once converted, confirm thy 
brethren." (Luke xxii. 32.) 

135. The infallibility of the Pope does not 
mean that he cannot fall into sin. Infallibility 
pertains not to his life and conduct nor to his 
private opinions or teaching, but to his official 
teaching of doctrine as head of the Church. 

136. St. Peter's lawful successors are the 
Bishops of Rome, Peter's See, i. e., the Popes 
who have governed the Church and who shall 
govern it to the end of the world. This authority 
was given without limit of time to St. Peter and 
his successors, the Roman Pontiffs ; for it was 
necessary to preserve the unity, the doctrinal 
purity, and the stability of the Church to the 
end of time. The successors of the Apostles 
are the bishops of the Holy Catholic Church. 

40. 

THE VIRTUES. 

137. Virtue in its widest sense is a faculty or 
power of the soul by which it acts. It is also a 
habit perfecting the faculties of the human soul 
and inclining and enabling them to do good 



*J2 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

with facility. Virtue is chiefly exercised in acts 
of religion, piety, charity and justice, and in 
resisting the evil bias in our nature that inclines 
us to go contrary to the moral law. 

138. Virtue is either natural or supernatural. 
Natural virtue is that good quality of the mind 
by which a rational creature acts in conformity 
with right reason. It may be either inbred or 
acquired. Supernatural virtues are either the 
natural virtues raised by grace to the super- 
natural plane, or special gifts or qualities infused 
by God into the faculties of the soul for their 
greater perfection. 

139. Virtues may also be divided for conven- 
ience of treatment into theological and moral. 
The theological virtues are those that relate 
directly to God, God being the object and 
motive. 

140. There are three theological virtues, viz. : 
Faith, Hope and Charity. These divine virtues 
are superior in dignity to the moral virtues. 
They tend to unite us to God. They, like all 
other virtues, are increased by exercise and 
helped by grace, and they may be lost by sur- 
render to the opposite vice and by bad habits. 



FAITH-HOPE. 73 

41. 

FAITH. 

141. Faith is a supernatural virtue by which we 
firmly believe the truths which God has revealed 
and made known to us through His Church, 
because He who is truth itself has revealed them. 
Faith must be firm, that is, without the least 
doubt; entire, that is, it must include all those 
truths which God has made known and which 
are proposed by His Church for our belief. We 
know with certainty what God has revealed by 
the authority of His Church which is the pillar 
and the ground of truth. (I. Tim. hi. 15.) The 
authority of the Church is her right to teach as 
the infallible witness of revelation and her right 
to rule the faithful in all spiritual matters. We 
believe what God teaches, because He is the 
infallible truth, and, therefore, cannot deceive nor 
be deceived. God is truth itself and is incapable 
of error. He cannot cause us to believe what 
is false. 

42. 

HOPE. 

142. Hope is a divine virtue by which we 
confidently expect that God will give us eternal 
life and the means to obtain it. Eternal life 
signifies the life of grace here and the life of 
glory hereafter. Here it consists in the knowl- 



74 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

edge and grace of God ; hereafter in the beatific 
vision of God which is the happiness of the 
saints. " This is eternal life that they may 
know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ 
whom Thou hast sent."' (John xvii. 3.) We 
hope in God because He is infinitely powerful, 
good and merciful, and because He is faithful 
to His word, and has promised all graces, even 
heaven itself through Jesus Christ, to all those 
who keep His commandments. All graces are 
bestowed through the merits of Jesus Christ. 
Hence the Church concludes most of her prayers 
vitli the words " through Jesus Christ our Lord." 

43. 

CHARITY. 

143. Charity is a divine virtue by which we 
love God above all for His own sake, and our 
neighbor as ourselves for God's sake. To love 
God for His own sake is to love Him on account 
of Himself and not on account of the reward 
attached to acts of love or to the habit of loving 
Him. We love our neighbors as ourselves when 
we do to them as we would wish them to do 
unto us. 

144. We should love God above all for His 
own sake because God alone is infinitely good 
and perfect. We are to love God above all by 
loving Him more than ourselves and more than 



CHARITY. 75 

anything in the world, and by being willing to 
part with everything that is most dear to us, 
even life if necessary, rather than offend Him by 
mortal sin. 

145. We should frequently make acts of faith, 
hope, and charity, particularly when we come to 
the use of reason and at the hour of death, and 
also when we are tempted to sin against any of 
those Divine virtues or have sinned against 
them. We are bound to make acts of faith, 
hope and charity frequently during life. To 
omit this duty for a long time would be a 
grievous sin. We comply with it by saying the 
Creed which is an act of faith ; the Lord's 
Prayer, or an act of contrition which is also an 
act of charity. When we say, " I believe in life 
everlasting " we make an act of hope. It is well 
that a Christian should make acts of faith, hope 
and charity every day. We should make these 
acts when we come to the use of reason, because 
at that time we are bound to give ourselves to 
the service of God. We should make them at 
the hour of death because then the devil re- 
doubles his efforts to bring us to hell. That we 
may easily make these acts at the hour of death, 
we ought through life to accustom ourselves to 
say, " O my God ! I believe in Thee and in all 
Thy Church teaches ; I hope in Thee ; I love 
Thee with my whole heart and soul." 



y6 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

44. 

MORAL VIRTUES. 

146. The chief moral virtues are prudence, 
justice, fortitude, and temperance. These are 
the four cardinal virtues by which our mora! 
conduct is guided. Allied to each of these 
cardinal virtues and springing from them are 
several auxiliary virtues of lesser moment. 

147. Prudence is the virtue that moves the 
will to employ due diligence in doing good and 
avoiding evil. By it our actions are kept in 
accord with wisdom and right reason, so that by 
them we may best attain the end of our being, 
that is, eternal felicity. Prudence is the guide 
of all other moral virtues. It is distinguished 
from worldly wisdom, which is concerned with 
temporal prosperity, by being wholly devoted to 
the eternal welfare of the soul. Prudence draws 
its lessons from the past, uses the knowledge of 
the present and forecasts and prepares for the 
future. Docility in learning from others, sagac- 
ity in choosing aright, foresight, caution, and 
discretion are the handmaids of prudence. 
Rashness, heedlessness and fickleness are op« 
posed to prudence. 

148. Justice* is that virtue that constantly 
moves the will to render to every one what is 
rightfully his due. We are bound to be just 

* See Note, pap-e 4.01. 



GOOD WORKS. J*] 

towards God, our neighbor, and ourselves. 
What we owe to God is embraced in religion 
and piety. Worship, obedience and gratitude 
come under this head. Friendliness, truthful- 
ness and liberality are due to our fellow-men. 

149. Fortitude is that virtue whereby we 
endure labor and firmly confront danger in the 
performance of duty. The most heroic act of 
this virtue is martyrdom for the faith. Courage, 
patience and perseverance accompany fortitude. 

150. Temperance is the virtue that restrains 
the desires and actions of men in the use of 
things that give pleasure to the senses. The 
office of this virtue is to keep our use of things 
that give sensible pleasure, subject to reason and 
within the bounds of moderation and under the 
control of the moral law. Sobriety, chastity, 
humility, meekness and clemency are virtues 
that accompany temperance. 

45. 

GOOD WORKS. 

151. Strict integrity and morality will not 
ensure salvation unless they be enlivened by 
" faith that worketh by charity.'' (Gal. v. 6.) 
Faith* that worketh by charity, living faith, 
manifests itself by works. Faith and obedience 
with charity are both expressly required as 

*See Note, page 404. 



78 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

conditions for salvation. Our good works must 
be enlivened by faith because the Scripture says : 
"without faith it is impossible to please God, 
and he that believeth not shall be condemned. " 
(Heb. xi. 6. ; Mark xvi. 16.) We are not justi- 
fied or made pleasing to God by faith alone 
without good works ; for as the body without 
the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is 
dead. (James ii. 26.) 

152. Good works are those which are per- 
formed by the aid of grace, as keeping the 
commandments ; frequenting the sacraments ; 
attending religious instructions ; prayer, fasting, 
alms-deeds, etc. Our good works must be 
enlivened by charity ; for St. Paul says : " If I 
should distribute all my goods to feed the poor 
and if I should deliver my body to be burned 
and have not charity, it pronteth me nothing." 
(I. Cor. xiii. 3.) The soul, animated by the pres- 
ence of this divine virtue and performing acts 
with the aid of God's grace, cooperates in its 
own salvation. Good works which are not the 
fruit of divine charity avail not towards meriting 
heaven. 

153. Charity excels all other virtues in render- 
ing our actions meritorious in the eyes of God, 
and without it we cannot gain eternal life. St. 
Paul says, "And now there remain faith, hope, 
and charity, these three, but the greatest of these 



sin. 79 

is charity." (I. Cor. xiii. 13.) The charity of 
which St. Paul speaks is that pure and sincere 
love of God and our neighbor which makes us 
do His will in all things, and obey His Church 
which He commands us to hear. (Matt, xviii. 
17 ; Luke x. 16.) 

46. 

SIN.* 

154. Sin is any wilful thought, word, deed or 
omission contrary to the law of God. It is the 
choice of evil rather than good, an act of self- 
will against the known will of God, an offence 
against God. The malice of sin whereby it is 
bad in itself, lies in the fact that it is a breach 
of the natural law of right and wrong or of the 
divine law. The evil, to be sinful, must be 
known as such, freely chosen by the will and 
consented to. We sin in thought by thinking 
wilfully and with pleasure of what is bad, and 
still more so by desiring it. We sin in word by 
saying what is bad, as in cursing, profane swear- 
ing, using immodest language, telling lies, etc. 
We sin in deed by doing what is bad, whether it 
is bad in itself, as lying, for example, or bad only 
because it is forbidden, as when our first .parents 
ate the forbidden fruit. We sin by omission in 
not doing something that is commanded, as in 
* See Note, page 411. 



So CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

not duly honoring our parents or in neglecting 
to hear Mass on Sunday. 

155. Sin is mortal, that is deadly, when it 
is a grievous offence or violation of the law of 
God. Three things are required to make a sin 
mortal, namely, the matter must be grave ; there 
must be sufficient knowledge of the evil, and 
full consent of the will. Mortal sin is so called 
because it kills the soul by depriving it of sancti- 
fying grace which is its true life, and because it 
deserves everlasting death. The Scripture says, 
" Sin when it is completed begetteth death." 
(Jas. i. 15.) Again, "I know thy works, that 
thou hast the name of being alive and thou art 
dead." (Apoc. iii. 1.) The life of the soul is 
a twofold life. Natural, which belongs to it by 
creation and which it never loses ; supernatural, 
or the life of sanctifying grace, which is received 
in Baptism, but is lost by mortal sin : hence, 
although the soul is immortal in its natural life, 
it may lose its supernatural life. 

156. There are two kinds of sin, namely, 
original and actual. Original sin we inherit 
from our first parents. Actual sin is that which 
we ourselves commit and may be mortal or 
venial. It is called actual, because it is the 
result of an act of our own free will. 

157. Venial sin is a breach of the law of God 
in a small matter, or not quite voluntary in a 






THE SEVEN CAPITAL SINS. 8 1 

grave matter. It lessens, but does not wholly 
banish, the grace of God from the soul. What 
might be a mortal sin becomes venial, when suf- 
ficient advertence to the evil or full and free 
consent of the will is absent. It is called venial 
or pardonable, because it is more easily pardoned 
than mortal sin. Venial sin damages the soul 
by lessening in it the love of God and by making 
it more apt to fall into mortal sin. The Scripture 
says, " He that contemneth small things shall 
fall little by little." (Eccles. xix. i.) As sick- 
ness tends to the death of the body, venial sin 
inclines the soul to mortal sin. We should 
carefully avoid all venial sin, because it is hate- 
ful to God and is, therefore, after mortal sin, 
the greatest of evils. " Behold how small a fire 
kindleth a great wood." (James hi. 5.) 

47. 

THE SEVEN CAPITAL SINS.* 

158. There are seven kinds of sins that are 
called capital sins — pride, covetousness, lust, 
anger, gluttony, envy and sloth. The capital 
sins are so called, because they are the fountain 
heads or source from which all other sins take 
their rise. They are sometimes called deadly 
because they are usually mortal sins, but still 
they may sometimes be only venial, namely, 
when gravity of matter, sufficient knowledge and 
* See Note, page 415. 



82 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

advertence or perfect consent is wanting. Pride 
is an inordinate or undue esteem of oneself. The 
opposite virtue is Humility. Covetousness is an 
inordinate attachment to the goods of this world. 
The opposite virtue is Liberality. Lust leads to 
an indulgence in immodest or impure thoughts, 
desires, words or actions. The opposite virtue 
is Chastity. Anger is an inordinate feeling of 
displeasure at some real or supposed injury with 
a desire of vengeance against the offender. The 
opposite virtue is Meekness. Gluttony is a 
disorderly love of eating and drinking to excess. 
The opposite virtue is Temperance. Envy is a 
sadness or repining at another's good, because 
it seems to lessen one's own. The opposite 
virtue is Charity. Sloth is a distaste for action 
which makes us neglect our duty rather than 
take the pains of doing it. The opposite virtue 
is Diligence or love of labor. 

159. They who die in mortal sin suffer in hell 
for all eternity. They who die without doing 
full penance for their sins or in venial sin, must 
pass through purgatory. As regards God, eter- 
nity means duration without beginning or end ; 
as regards man, it means duration which, begin- 
ning at death, will last, forever. It is an article 
of faith that the torments of hell are eternal. 
Speaking of the wicked on the last day, the 
Evangelist says, "And these shall go into 



FORGIVENESS OF SIN. 83 

everlasting punishment, but the just into life 
everlasting." (Matt. xxv. 46.) And St. Paul 
says, " In a flame of fire yielding vengeance to 
them who know not God, and who obey not the 
Gospel . . . who shall suffer eternal pun- 
ishment in destruction." (II. Thess. i. 8-9.) 
Remember, then, if you have had the misfortune 
of falling into mortal sin, that, unless you are 
pardoned by God, you will have to suffer forever 
in hell. Remember also that it is only an act 
of perfect contrition that can procure pardon of 
mortal sin when you cannot go to confession ; 
that an act of attrition will not be sufficient in 
such a case. 

48. 

FORGIVENESS OF SIN. 

160. If we fall into mortal sin, we ought to 
repent sincerely and have recourse to the Sacra- 
ment of Penance as soon as we can. We ought 
to turn away from sin with real sorrow for 
having offended God, Who is infinitely good. 
We ought to go to confession as soon as we can 
after falling into mortal sin, that we may obtain 
pardon, recover God's friendship and be always 
prepared to die. By making a good confession 
at once we will be prepared to die, whereas, if 
we put off our confession, death may overtake 
us in our sins and our souls be lost. 



PART II. 

THE MORAL LAW. 



1. 

HUMAN ACTS AND THE DIVINE WILL. 

i. Human actions are either good, bad or 
indifferent. The rule by which we determine 
whether a human action is good or bad is the 
moral law. If an act is in accord with the moral 
law it is good ; if not, it is bad. Morality is, 
therefore, the relation which human acts bear to 
this law. 

2. The primary moral law is the Divine reason 
or the will of God establishing a certain order 
of things, and commanding man to maintain it, 
and forbidding him to disturb it. This order 
being established by the most benevolent Being, 
God, is, of course, framed for the highest good of 
man. To violate it is to thwart the will of God 
and to hinder our attainment of the highest 
good. 

3. The Divine will is that man should, by 
conforming himself to this moral order, attain 
his final end, that is, eternal happiness. What- 
ever advances man towards this end is moral ; 
whatever tends to avert him from it is immoral. 

84 



CONSCIENCE. 85 

4. The will of God has all the essentials of a 
supreme law of morals for us. It is perpetual, 
universal and binding on us. It is, like God, 
eternal ; it applies to all rational creatures, and 
it creates a duty for us that we cannot rightly 
evade. As creatures of God it is plain that it is 
our duty to conform our will and deeds to the 
will of our Creator, Judge and Remunerator. 

2. 

CONSCIENCE.* 

5. There is, however, a secondary rule of 
morals, which practically makes known and 
applies the primary law of morality. This is 
right reason in man, judging of the lawfulness of 
each particular act under the circumstances of 
the case. This rule is called Conscience. It 
is only through conscience that the moral law 
is brought home to the rational creature and 
proposed to him as binding under pain of sin. 

6. Conscience is not of itself a law unto us. 
It only binds us in as far as it makes known to 
us, and applies the eternal law of God in each 
particular case. The conscience enlightened by 
knowledge of the law and prudently guarded 
from error, is a safe guide. What it forbids we 
must avoid, what it commands we must do, but 
we are not bound to do all that it approves. 

* See Note, page 424. 



86 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

3. 

THE MORALITY OF HUMAN ACTS. 

7. Moral good and moral evil exist. That is 
morally good which is in accord with the idea 
of rectitude that exists in the Divine mind ; 
the reverse is evil. In practice, all human acts 
that are truly such, are either moral or immoral, 
because even acts indifferent in themselves, take 
their morality from the object and the circum- 
stances, and are qualified by the intention of the 
agent. If all these are good, the act is moral ; if 
any one of these is bad, the act is immoral. An 
act indifferent in itself may also become good or 
bad by being commanded or forbidden by proper 
authority. 

8. Four things affect the morality of all human 
actions, the object, the means, the circumstances 
and the motive. 

9. The object is the person or thing involved 
in the action. This object may be good, 'bad 
or indifferent. Some things are bad absolutely, 
apart from all circumstances, as lying or hatred 
of God. Some are intrinsically bad, though not 
precisely of themselves, but from some inherent 
condition, such as taking human life which is 
usually bad, but w r hich becomes lawful under 
certain conditions, as in necessary self-defence, 



LAW. 87 

for instance. Some are bad only on account 
of the danger usually attending their use or 
because they are forbidden. 

Circumstances are accidental surroundings, or 
concomitants of an act which substantially might 
exist without them, but which assumes the tone 
of their morality. The motive is the ultimate 
aim of the agent, the end that he proposes to 
himself. The means are the things used in 
the attainment of the end. If any one of these 
four is bad, the action is vitiated and becomes 
immoral. It is sinful to use bad means even 
for a good end. It is not lawful to do evil that 
good may come. 

4. 

LAW. 

10. The rule of morality which governs hu- 
man conduct is called law. A law differs from 
a precept in this, that it is more permanent and 
affects the community in general, and not some 
individuals thereof. A law either commands or 
forbids. As a command it does not enjoin every 
possible action within its domain, nor is it urgent 
at all times. As a prohibition it forbids every- 
thing that comes within its scope and is always 
urgent. 

11. Law is either Divine or human. The 
Divine law includes the law of nature and the 



88 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

positive law of the Old and of the New Testa- 
ment. That of the New Testament is called the 
Christian law as distinct from the Jewish law. 

12. Human laws are such as are made by 
superiors having authority derived from God to 
provide for the good of the community. Human 
law is either ecclesiastical or civil. The law of 
the Church is the ecclesiastical law. Laws that 
govern States in the temporal order are civil 
laws. 

13. The law limits the freedom of the indi- 
vidual for the common good, and imposes duties 
that carry with them moral obligations. It may 
not however, unduly infringe on man's natural 
or God given rights. All rational beings have a 
right to act freely within certain limits prescribed 
by just laws. 

5. 

THE DIVINE LAW. 

14. It is not sufficient for salvation to believe 
the truths of religion, we must also obey the 
moral law, i. e., avoid evil and do good. " If thou 
wilt enter into life keep the commandments." 
(Matt. xix. 17.) To be pleasing in the sight of 
God and gain heaven, we must not only believe 
what He has revealed but do what He has 
commanded. We must fulfil all righteousness 
towards God and towards our fellow men. We 



THE DIVINE LAW. 89 

are rational and responsible beings, and have 
certain duties to perform that it would be a sin 
to neglect. These duties are made known to us 
by the laws which the Creator has established 
for the good order and happiness of His 
creatures. These laws are in part made known 
to us through that sense of right and wrong 
which is inherent in our minds, and is the first 
fruit of our reason. They are more clearly and 
fully set forth in the commandments of God 
given to the people of Israel through Moses. 
There are ten of these commandments expres- 
sive of the moral law. They are special en- 
forcements of the natural law and are called 
the Divine positive law. The Ten Command- 
ments of God are in substance as follows : 

1. I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have 

strange gods before Me. Thou shalt not 
adore idols nor the graven image of any- 
thing. 

2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord 

thy God in vain. 

3. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day. 

4. Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy 

days may be long in the land. 

5. Thou shalt not kill. 

6. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 

7. Thou shalt not steal. 

8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against 

thy neighbor. 



90 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

9, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. 

10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods. 

(Exod. xx.) 

15. The ten commandments were given by 
God written on two tablets of stone. , On one of 
the tablets were written the three commandments 
which relate to God and define our duties 
towards Him ; on the other, the seven which set 
forth our duties towards our neighbor. As the 
Lord's Prayer briefly includes all we have to 
pray for, and the Creed all we have to believe, 
so the ten commandments give in brief all we 
have to do in order to be saved. It is necessary 
to keep every one of the ten commandments ; 
for the Scripture says, " Whosoever shall offend 
in one shall become guilty of all." (James ii. 
10.) It is our duty to know them. We must 
put them in practice, that is to say, we must 
make them the rule of our conduct and obey 
them in all things. " For not the hearers of the 
law but the doers of the law are justified." 
(Rom. ii. 13.) God, being Lord of all, has the 
right to command, and it is the duty of all His 
creatures to obey Him. 



THE WORSHIP OF GOD. 9 1 

6. 

THE WORSHIP OF GOD. 

16. The first commandment is: "I am the 
Lord thy God ; thou shalt not have strange 
gods before me." Strange gods are any other 
gods besides Jehovah, false gods, or idols made 
of wood, stone, metal, etc. They are called 
" strange gods " because they were adored by 
pagan nations, foreign to the Jews. We are 
commanded to adore one God, and to adore him 
alone. "The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, 
and him only shalt thou serve." (Matt. iv. 10.) 
Each command contains two classes of duties, 
what we are bound to do and what we should 
not do. The things commanded are acts of 
virtue ; the things forbidden are acts of vice 
and things wrong because forbidden. 

17. To adore God is to give him that supreme 
worship, or divine honor, which is due to him 
alone, as the Creator and Sovereign Lord of all 
things. The worship given to God is called 
divine worship and is paid to God alone. The 
honor and reverence we pay to the Blessed 
Virgin Mary and the Saints are such as their 
sanctity and excellence deserve. This is not 
worship in the strict sense of that term. It is 
part of the worship and service that we owe to 
God, to "praise Him in His saints." (Ps. cl.) 



92 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

1 8. We adore God by faith, hope and charity, 
by prayer and sacrifice. We adore God by 
faith, acknowledging him to be truth itself; by 
hope, acknowledging him to be merciful and 
faithful to his promises ; and by -charity, 
acknowledging him to be infinitely good and 
deserving of all our love. We adore God by 
prayer, because prayer is an elevation of the 
soul to God, a homage to the source of all 
blessings, and an act of humility. W 7 e adore 
him by sacrifice, because sacrifice is an offering 
made to God in acknowledgment of his supreme 
dominion over us. We adore him in a special 
manner when we assist devoutly at the holy 
Sacrifice of the Mass. 

7. 

SINS AGAINST RELIGION. 

ig. The first commandment forbids all sins 
against faith, hope and charity, and other duties 
of religion. The sins against religion are 
chiefly idolatry, and other forms of superstition, 
blasphemy, sacrilege and simony. A person 
sins against faith by not endeavoring to know 
what God has taught, by not believing what God 
has revealed, and by denying or not professing 
his belief in the Christian religion. They who 
do not endeavor to know what God has taught 
are all those who neglect to learn Christian 



SINS AGAINST RELIGION. 93 

doctrine. Christian doctrines are those great 
truths which are proposed by the Church for our 
belief, as revealed by God. They are found in 
her creeds and catechisms. Those which are 
called the principal mysteries are required to be 
known and explicitly believed, as a necessary 
means or condition of salvation. The distinc- 
tion between explicit and implicit faith is this : 
by the former we know and believe certain 
truths in express terms, while by the latter we 
believe, in general, all that the Church believes 
and teaches. Even though we do not know 
every article in particular, we must be ready to 
receive them whenever they are taught us by 
authority or proposed to us by the Church. 

20. Every Christian ought to know, at least 
in substance, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's 
Prayer, the Commandments of God and of his 
Church, the duties of one's state of life, and 
also the Sacraments, or such of them as he is 
likely to receive. Those who by their own fault 
are ignorant of any of the chief truths of sal- 
vation, are living in a state of sin, and are, 
moreover, in continual danger of committing 
sin, through culpable ignorance of their duty. 
Among those who do not believe what God has 
revealed are heretics and infidels. Heretics are 
those who being baptized, obstinately adhere 
to error in opposition to the truth as taught 



94 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

by the Church of God. Infidels are those who 
are not baptized and who refuse to believe the 
Christian revelation. The term infidel is applied, 
in particular, to unbaptized persons, who re- 
fuse to believe in Jesus Christ, and his religion. 
Sometimes apostates from the faith are called 
infidels. 

21. It is a sin against faith to reject what 
God has taught, or by any outward declaration 
to deny the true religion in which we believe 
in our hearts. Any intentional expression of 
opinion by words or signs, so as to lead others 
to think that we do not hold the faith, or that 
we have renounced it, is a sin against faith. 
They who deny outwardly the true religion can- 
not expect salvation, for Christ has said : 
" Whosoever shall deny me before men, I will 
also deny him before my Father who is in 
heaven. " (Matt. x. 33.) 

22. We are obliged to make open profession 
of our faith or religion as often as God's honor, 
our own spiritual good, or our neighbor's edifi- 
cation requires it. " Whosoever," says Christ 5 
" shall confess me before men, I will also con- 
fess him before my Father who is in heaven." 
(Matt. x. 32.) God's honor requires that a 
person should make open profession of his 
faith, when he is questioned about his religion 
by a judge, or by any one in public authority. 



SINS AGAINST RELIGION. 95 

To deny it then would be to deny Jesus Christ. 
On such occasions, the acknowledgment of our 
faith is an imperative duty. " With the heart," 
says St. Paul, " we believe unto justice ; but 
with the mouth confession is made unto salva- 
tion." (Rom. x. 10.) We are also obliged to 
make open profession of our faith when our 
neighbor's edification requires it ; as for exam- 
ple, when he is in danger of denying his faith, 
and needs public encouragement ; when we are 
obliged to choose between openly avowing our 
faith or doing something wrong, we must declare 
our faith. ki He who through human respect or 
for worldly advantage conceals his religion, or 
abstains from the public worship of the Church, 
fails in the duty of professing his faith openly." 

23. Catholics who are so weak as to be 
ashamed of their holy religion, or afraid of being 
known as such, should consider these words of 
our Lord : " Whosoever is ashamed of me and 
of my words . . . the Son of Man also shall 
be ashamed of him, when He shall come in 
the glory of His Father with the holy angels." 
(Mark viii. 38.) Though it is never lawful to 
deny our faith, there are occasions when we are 
not bound to make it known. He who denies 
the faith when he ought to profess it, commits a 
sin, and if he openly renounces it he is an 
apostate. St. Paul says that it is extremely dim- 



96 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

cult for apostates to regain the faith, or to be 
brought to repentance for their sin. " They 
crucify Christ anew and make a mockery of 
him." (Heb. vi. 6.) They sin against the Holy 
Ghost. As they deny the truth once known to 
them, and wilfully shut out the light of faith, 
their sin is one of the greatest malice. 

8. 

SINS AGAINST HOPE. 

24. The sins against hope are despair and 
presumption. Despair is a total loss of confi- 
dence in God by which we give up all hope of 
salvation. Cain said in his despair, " My sin 
is greater than can be forgiven. " (Gen. iv. 13.) 
Judas, after he betrayed our Divine Redeemer 
into the hands of his enemies, fell into despair 
and hanged himself instead of repenting. 

25. Presumption is a vain hope of salvation 
without using the means to attain it. Those 
who are in that state of mind pervert the 
motives of hope into encouragements to sin. 
They sin because God is merciful. God's mercy 
should encourage us to hope for pardon, and not 
to sin. It is lawful to do good with the hope 
of reward. (Trent, Sess. vi. 31.) 

" God is infinitely merciful ; therefore do not 
despair ; but he is also infinitely just ; there- 
fore do not presume on his goodness. " 



SINS AGAINST CHARITY. 97 

9. 

SINS AGAINST CHARITY. 

26. A person sins against the love of God by 
every sin- but particularly by mortal sin. Every 
sin, however venial, is a breach of the love we 
owe to God, while mortal sin entirely banishes 
this love from our souls and completely sep- 
arates us from God. Hatred of God is the 
worst sin against charity. A person sins against 
the love of his neighbor by injuring him in any 
respect, and by not assisting him when able in 
his spiritual or corporal necessities when he is 
in urgent need. We may injure our neighbor 
in his person, goods, or character, or we may 
neglect to aid him when he is in great need, of 
material or spiritual assistance. In either case 
we sin against charity, which includes the love 
of our neighbor as well as the love of God. 
Addressing the wicked on the last day, our Lord 
will say, " I was hungry, and you gave me not 
to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me not to 
drink. I was a stranger, and you took me not 
in •, naked, and you clothed me not ; sick, and 
in prison, and you did not visit me. . . . And 
these shall go into everlasting punishment ; but 
the just into life everlasting." (Matt. xxv. 46.) 



98 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

10. 

VENERATION OF SAINTS. 

27. The first commandment also forbids us 
to give to any creature the honor due to God 
alone ; that is, supreme or divine honor. To 
give to any creature divine honor or worship, is 
to commit the heinous sin of idolatry. When 
our Lord allowed himself to be tempted by the 
devil, this lying spirit promised to give him all 
the kingdoms of the world and the glory of 
them, if, falling down, he would adore him. 
But Jesus said to him : " Begone, Satan : for it 
is written : The Lord thy God thou shalt adore, 
and him only shalt thou serve." (Matt. iv. 8.) 

28. We are not forbidden to honor the saints, 
if we only honor them as God's special friends 
and faithful servants, and if we do not give them 
supreme honor, which belongs to God alone. 
We honor the saints with an inferior kind of 
honor ; such as is due to them on account of 
their high place in heaven. By thus honoring 
the saints, we honor God himself in them. 
" Render to all their dues . . . fear to whom 
fear; honor to whom honor." (Rom. xiii. 7.) 
Catholics distinguish between the honor they 
give to God and the honor they give to the 
saints ; for to God alone they offer sacrifice, and 



VENERATION OF SAINTS. 99 

from him alone they expect grace and mercy, 
while of the saints they ask only the assistance 
of their prayers. (Tob. xii. 12.) When we pray 
to God we ask him to pardon our sins, to 
deliver us from evil, to save our souls. But 
when we pray to the saints, we ask them only 
to intercede for us with God. To God we say, 
"have mercy on us;'" to the saints, "pray for 
us," as may be seen from the Litanies and other 
prayers of the Church. 

29. The saints and angels in heaven know 
what happens on earth, because in God they 
see all things which his providence permits them 
to know. " With Thee," says the royal prophet, 
" is the fountain of life ; and in Thy light we 
shall see light." (Ps. xxxv. 10.) And St. Paul 
says : " We see now ... in an obscure manner ; 
but then I shall know even as I am known." 
(I. Cor. xiii. 12.) Eliseus knew what passed in 
the king of Syria's chamber (IV. Kings vi. ), and 
also the conduct of his servant Giezi (v.) St. 
Peter knew the deception of Ananias and 
Saphira. (Acts v.) Now, as the saints on 
earth could, through special revelation, foresee 
future events, and know things done at a dis- 
tance, so the saints in heaven may do the same 
by the light of glory. That the angels and 
saints hear our prayers and are concerned for 
our welfare is certain. " When thou didst pray 



IOO CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

with tears, and didst bury the dead," said the 
Archangel Raphael to Tobias, " I offered thy 
prayer to the Lord." (Tob. xii. 12.) And 
Christ says that " There shall be joy before the 
angels of God upon one sinner doing penance." 
(Luke xv. 10.) We know from St. Paul, that 
the saints are with Christ in heaven, before the 
general resurrection (I. Cor. v.), and from our 
Lord, that even after they resume their bodies, 
" they shall be as angels of God in heaven." 
(Matt. xxii. 30.) 

30. It is a holy and helpful thought to recom- 
mend ourselves to the saints, and to ask their 
prayers, as it is a very pious practice to ask the 
prayers of our fellow-creatures on earth, and to 
pray for them. " Brethren, pray for us." (Thess. 
v. 25.) "Pray for one another, that you may 
be saved; for the continual prayer of a just 
man availeth much." (Jas. v. 16.) The Council 
of Trent teaches : " That the saints who reign 
together with Christ, offer up their prayers to 
God for men ; that it is good and useful to in- 
voke them, and to have recourse to their prayers, 
in obtaining benefits from God, through His 
Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who alone is our 
Redeemer and Saviour." (Sess. xxv.) Catho- 
lics kneel in prayer before images of Christ and 
His saints, to honor Christ and His saints, 
whom their images represent. (Second Council 
of Nice, A. D. 787.) 



IMAGES. IOI 

11. 

IMAGES. 

31. Holy images are those of Christ, of His 
Blessed Mother, or of His saints, which awaken 
in our minds pious thoughts by reminding us of 
the chief facts of faith and of what Christ has 
done and suffered for us, and of the example set 
us by the saints. It is lawful to show respect to 
the crucifix and religious pictures, because they 
represent Christ and His saints, and remind us 
of them. (Matt, ix.) "Thou shalt make also 
two cherubim of beaten gold, one on either side 
of the oracle." (Exod. xxv. 18.) " And as 
Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so 
must the Son of man be lifted up." (John iii. 
14.) The images of the cherubim, with extended 
wings, looking towards the oracle or mercy seat, 
and also the brazen image of a serpent in the 
desert, were set up by Moses by the command of 
God Himself. Hence we see that : It is not for- 
bidden to make images, if we do not intend to 
adore and serve them as the idolaters do. And 
that we are not forbidden to honor the saints, we 
have seen at the beginning of this lesson. The 
honor which is shown the crucifix and religious 
pictures is called a relative honor, because it is 
not given to the crucifix and religious pictures 
themselves, but to those whom they represent. 



102 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

32. Catholics honor the relics of the saints, 
because their bodies were the temples of the 
Holy Ghost, and will be honored and glorified 
forevei in heaven. " Know you not," says St. 
Paul, " that you are the temple of God, and that 
the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? " (I. Cor. 
iii. 16.) Relics are the bodies of saints, or 
portions of their bodies. These are relics in the 
strict sense of the word. Anything that belonged 
to the saints, such as clothes, books, etc. ; any- 
thing that touched their bodies, either in their 
lifetime or after their death, are also called 
relics. We do not pray to the crucifix or to the 
images and relics of saints ; for we know they 
have neither life, nor sense, nor power to hear or 
help us. We pray before the crucifix and before 
the relics of saints, because they excite our 
devotion by reminding us of Christ and His 
saints, and encourage us to imitate their virtues 
and good works. " There were brought from 
his body to the sick, handkerchiefs and aprons, 
and the diseases departed from them, and the 
wicked spirits went out of them." (Acts x.) 
" She touched the hem of His garment, and 
the woman was made whole from that hour." 
(Matt. ix. 20.) 

33. We honor the Blessed Virgin, because 
she is the Mother of God ; the angels, because 
they are God's ministers and our guardians ; the 



SUPERSTITION AND SACRILEGE. IO3 

saints, because they are the faithful friends of 
God and our advocates ; holy relics, because 
they are precious remains and memorials of the 
saints, whose bodies were the temples of the 
Holy Ghost ; and the crucifix and holy images, 
because they remind us of our Lord and of His 
saints. The honor which we give to the angels 
and saints is referred to God, as the honor 
which is shown a king's ambassador, or to his 
ministers, is referred to the king himself. We 
kiss the crucifix, a relic, a holy image, or a 
blessed medal, through respect for those they 
represent ; just as a person would kiss the por- 
trait of a deceased parent or friend. We cannot 
better honor the saints than by imitating their 
virtues. We know their virtues and the means 
by which they became saints by authentic ac- 
counts of their lives. Men and women from 
every class and age and condition were saints 
and are models for our imitation. " Go thou, 
and do likewise." 

12. 

SUPERSTITION AND SACRILEGE. 

34. The first commandment forbids all deal- 
ings with the devil or consulting fortune-tellers 
about things lost, hidden or to come. Supersti- 
tion is in general, an irrational fear of, or trust 
in, things that can neither hurt or help us in 



104 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

the supernatural order. Having recourse to the 
agents of the devil or magic arts or spiritualists 
is forbidden. This was the sin of King Ocho- 
zias, who, falling sick, sent messengers to 
Beelzebub, the god of Accaron, to inquire if he 
should recover. This so displeased God that 
He sent Elias to rebuke the king for his impiety, 
and to say that in punishment thereof he would 
surely die. (^See IV. Kings i.) Calling in the 
aid of sorcerers, wizards and such like is sinful. 
According to St. Paul, " They who do such 
things shall not obtain the kingdom of God " 
(Gal. v. 20); and St. John says that " sorcerers 
shall have their portion in the pool burning with 
lire and brimstone.'' (Apoc. xxi. 8.) 

35. It is forbidden to give credit to dreams 
and fortune-tellers. All charms and spells and 
superstitious interpretation of omens are very 
sinful. It is foolish and dangerous to regard 
dreams as trustworthy signs of coming events. 
In general they are mere figments of the brain 
arising in sleep from natural causes, and have 
no bearing on the future. If in any case they 
come from the devil, the father of lies, they 
cannot be safe signs to follow. As he is ever 
on the watch to fill the mind with idle thoughts, 
vain hopes and superstitions, we may believe 
that he is sometimes the author of deceptive 
dreams. Dreams have sometimes come from 



SUPERSTITION AND SACRILEGE. IO5 

God. This we learn from Holy Scripture ; but 
what has happened in exceptional cases cannot 
authorize us to give credit to dreams, for God 
Himself has said expressly, " Neither let there 
be found among you any one that useth divi- 
nation or observeth dreams/' (Deut. xviii. 10.) 

36. Fortune-telling is forbidden, because it 
is a sin against the virtue of religion. False 
prophets profess to tell the future, whereas God 
alone knows the future and will not reveal it to 
such people. Fortune-tellers are generally idle 
strollers who go about living on the credulity of 
the people. If in any case they seem to know 
hidden things, they must have received their 
knowledge from others, or from the devil. If 
from the latter, those who seek knowledge from 
them seek it indirectly from the devil. Incan- 
tations are superstitious practices intended to 
produce preternatural effects, generally hurtful. 

37. Charms and spells are certain words or 
things used by sorcerers to procure health for 
man or beast, or to ward off evils or ill luck. 
They are delusive things and lead us away from 
God, in whom alone we should trust. Super- 
stitious people credit certain things with powers 
which of their own nature they cannot possess, 
and which God has not made the means of 
supernatural effects. For bodily ailments, medi- 



106 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

cal advice and medicines are the natural means. 
Prayer and the sacraments are the supernatural 
means appointed by God for procuring us many 
good things both for soul and body. It is praise- 
worthy, however, to wear on our person medals 
of the saints, or blessed things, provided we 
wear them with a pious intention ; that is to say, 
with confidence in God, in the intercession of the 
saints, or in the prayer and blessing of the Church. 

38. Omens are tokens or signs of good or 
ill fortune. In Holy Scripture observance of 
omens is forbidden in these words : " Neither 
let there be found among you any one that 
observeth omens." (Deut. xviii. 10.) Plays in 
which sacred things are ridiculed are highly 
criminal, and are strictly forbidden by the first 
commandment. Mimicking sacred ceremonies 
for purposes of amusement is impious. 

39. By profaning sacred things, the sin of 
sacrilege is committed ; for by sacrilege is meant 
the abuse of a holy thing. Sacrilege may be 
personal, real, or local, according as it affects a 
person, as a Priest, a holy thing, as a Sacrament, 
or a place dedicated to divine worship, as a 
Church. Certain places are to be held sacred. 
" Reverence my sanctuary, I am the Lord." 
(Levit, xix. 30.) When Moses approached the 
burning bush, he was commanded to put off the 



OATHS. I07 

shoes from his feet ; " for," said the Lord, " the 
place whereon thou standest is holy ground." 
(Exod. iii. 5.) When Jacob saw in a vision a 
ladder reaching from earth to heaven — "the 
angels also of God ascending and descending by 
it, and the Lord leaning upon the ladder, . . . 
he said, How terrible is this place ! this is 
none other but the House of God, and the gate 
of heaven." (Gen. xxviii. 12-17.) The holy 
Fathers, speaking of the ceremonial at the dedi- 
cation of the Jewish temple, observe that much 
greater respect is due to our Christian churches, 
wherein resides the very God of whom the 
Jewish Temple had nothing more than the 
shadow and the invisible presence. 

13. 

OATHS. 

40. The second commandment is : Thou shalt 
not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. 
To take God's name in vain is to use it in a 
profane manner or without respect. To do so is 
a sin : " For the Lord will not hold him guiltless 
that shall take the name of the Lord his God in 
vain." (Exod. xx. 7.) It is also wrong to trifle 
with the name of God, to use it heedlessly or 
in jest. . It is our duty to honor and revere the 
holy name of God. " Make us, O Lord, to have 
a perpetual fear and love of Thy holy name," 
is one of the Church's beautiful prayers. We 



108 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

should honor the name of God by praise, prayer 
and public worship, and by spreading the faith. 
We are commanded by the second command- 
ment to speak with reverence of God, and of His 
saints and ministers ; of religion, its practices and 
ceremonies, and of all things relating to divine 
worship. The religious awe, filial fear and high 
esteem produced in our mind by the thought of 
God, constitute reverence. This reverence is 
due to whatever belongs to the worship and 
service of God. 

41. We are also commanded to keep our 
lawful oaths and vows. An oath is the calling 
of God to witness that what we say is true, or 
that our promise is sincere. By it we appeal to 
God Who loves truth and hates a lie. The 
words " so help me God " in oaths mean, may 
God deal with me according to the truth or 
falsehood of what I say. An oath to be lawful, 
must be qualified with truth, justice and judg- 
ment. " And thou shalt swear : as the Lord 
liveth, in truth, in judgment and in justice. " 
(Jer. iv. 2.) We must know that what we affirm 
on oath is true and just, and that there is a 
sufficient cause for stating it under oath. 

42. All oaths that are false, rash, unjust or 
unnecessary are forbidden ; as are also' cursing, 
swearing, blasphemy and profane words. (Matt. 
v. 24.) A false oath is one that affirms as true 



OATHS. IO9 

what we know to be false. To promise with an 
oath what we do not intend to perform, is also 
a false oath. A rash oath is one taken with- 
out due forethought, or good judgment ; or one 
that binds us to do something that is foolishly 
hazardous. An unjust oath is one that pledges 
us to do something that is wrong or injurious 
to others. We are not bound to observe an 
unjust oath. It was a sin to take it, and would 
be another sin to keep it. An unnecessary oath 
is one that is needless, without sufficient cause 
or about a trivial matter. To swear lightly or 
without sufficient cause is to dishonor the name 
of God and affront the divine majesty. A curse 
is a wish that some evil, especially one permitted 
by God, may fall upon ourselves, on another or 
on any creature. 

43. Cursing is hateful to God, shocking and 
irritating to men and hurtful to ourselves. It is 
a sign of an uncharitable and vengeful spirit, an 
evidence of ill-breeding and rude manners. We 
should bless and not curse even our enemies. 
The swearing that is forbidden is the utterance 
of rash or profane oaths. " Swear not at all, 
neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 
nor by the earth, for it is His footstool. " (Matt, 
v. 34.) This applies to the use of oaths in 
common discourse or ordinary conversation. 
"Let not thy mouth be used to swearing, for in 



IIO CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

this there are many falls. Let not the naming of 
God be usual in thy mouth." (Ecclus. xxiii. 9.) 

44. It is blasphemy to speak in an impious 
or injurious manner of God, or of His saints or 
of His holy religion. To say that He is unjust, 
or cruel, or not merciful is blasphemy. To en- 
tertain thoughts injurious to God or the saints 
or sacred things, is mental blasphemy. Real 
blasphemy, that which contains real insult to 
God, is of its own nature always a mortal sin. 
" He that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, 
dying, let him die ; all the multitude shall stone 
him." (Lev. xxiv. 16.) To encourage others to 
blaspheme is a sin. The publishing or reading 
of blasphemous writings or speeches is also for- 
bidden. Profane words are such as treat with 
irreverence holy things. Words that tend to 
lessen the sacredness of religion are profane. 

14. 

PERJURY. 

45. As an oath is the most solemn sanction 
of the truth of what we affirm, if we violate it we 
are guilty of perjury. Declarations made before 
a court, a magistrate, or other competent author- 
ity are generally made under bath. Perjury is a 
statement as true under oath of what we know 
or believe to be false. It is the wilful giving of 
false testimony under oath, especially in a court 



PERJURY. I I I 

of law. It is always a sin to swear to what we 
know or believe to be false. It is lawful and 
sometimes a duty to swear to what is true, when 
God's honor or justice between man and man 
requires it. We are obliged under pain of sin 
to keep a lawful oath ; it would be, in a manner, 
perjury to break it. A promise made under oath 
is binding under pain of perjury in every case, 
except when the thing promised is out of our 
power or is bad in itself or forbidden by law. 

Perjury is always a mortal sin even when 
the matter is not grave. Perjury, especially in 
a court of justice, is one of the gravest crimes 
against God and society. It is an insult to the 
God of truth, an outrage to Divine Majesty, to 
call upon Him to assist us in bearing witness 
to a lie. Perjury is, moreover, a great injury to 
society, as it tends to ruin mutual confidence 
and defeat the ends of justice. Hence the laws 
of all nations treat perjury as one of the greatest 
crimes. It is forbidden in Holy Scripture in the 
most positive and direct terms, " Thou shalt not 
swear falsely by My name." (Lev. xix. 12.) 
" Let none of you imagine evil in your hearts 
against his friend, and love not a false oath, for 
all these are things that I hate," saith the Lord. 
(Zach. viii. 17.) "This is the curse that goeth 
forth over the face of the earth, for every one 
that sweareth shall be judged by it. I will bring 



112 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall 
come to the house of him that sweareth falsely 
by my name, and it shall remain in the midst of 
his house and consume it with the timber and 
stones thereof. " (Zach. v. 2.) A person may 
be guilty of perjury either by swearing as true 
what he knows to be false, or thinking that what 
he swears is false while in fact it is true, or 
swearing that a thing is true, when he does not 
know whether it is so or not. 

15. 

vows. 

46. A vow is a deliberate promise made to 
God by which we bind ourselves, under pain of 
sin, of our own free-will, to do or omit some- 
thing within our power in order thereby to attain 
to a greater spiritual good. "When thou hast 
made a vow to the Lord, thou shalt not delay to 
pay it, and if thou delay, it shall be imputed to 
thee as a sin." (Deut. xiii. 21.) A vow is pleas- 
ing to God because it is a voluntary sacrifice and 
tends to advance us in the way of perfection. A 
good resolution is not a vow, as it does not bind 
us under pain of sin. A pledge is not a vow, but 
only a more formal promise. A solemn vow is 
that which is taken in some religious orders and 
accepted as such by the Church. It is a sin to 
break one's vows, whether they are simple or 



THE LORD S DAY. I I 3 

solemn. Prayer, forethought, and the advice of 
prudent and competent persons should precede 
the making of a vow, in a grave matter especially. 
Acts of virtue performed under a vow are 
thereby more pleasing to God. The Church has 
the power, for just cause, of dispensing from 
vows or of commuting them for some other good 
works. 

16. 

THE LORD'S DAY. 

47. The third commandment is : Remember 
that thou keep holy the Sabbath Day. The 
form of this commandment shows its impor- 
tance, and that we are specially to bear it in 
mind and strictly observe it. In the Old Law, 
the seventh day (Saturday) was the Sabbath, or 
day of rest ; because " on the seventh day God 
rested from the work which he had made, and 
blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it." 
(Gen. ii. 2, 3.) In the New Law, the first day 
of the week (Sunday) is the Christian day of 
rest and worship, the Lord's Day, so called in 
honor of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts xx« 7.) 

48. The early Christians made Sunday their 
day of rest and worship, because on that day, 
our Lord rose from the dead, and finished the 
work of redemption. On Sunday, also, the 
Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles ; on 



114 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Sunday the faith and law of Christ were first 
solemnly published to the world, and the 
Church publicly manifested as the teacher of 
the gospel of Christ. The utility of frequent 
days of rest from hard labor is clear from the 
evils that follow the violation of this law of 
nature. The divine law and the law of the 
Church in this matter is an application of the 
natural law. The work of redemption being 
greater than the work of creation, is com- 
memorated by consecrating a day, other than 
the Jewish Sabbath, to our Lord and Saviour. 

49. We are commanded by the third com- 
mandment to sanctify Sunday by prayer, and 
other religious exercises. The chief duty of 
religion, by which we should sanctify the Sun- 
day, is the hearing of Mass devoutly. We hear 
Mass devoutly when we assist at Mass with 
attention, reverence and piety. We should 
have the intention of joining in the offering of 
the Holy Sacrifice, and should avoid wilful wan- 
derings of the mind. This we can do by observ- 
ing the different parts of the ceremony, and by 
the use of prayers. Our reverence and awe 
should be the same as if we were present on 
Calvary. They should be shown in the devout 
position of kneeling, and in conduct becoming 
the house of God and this sublime mystery of 
religion. Attending Vespers or evening devo- 



IRE LORD S DAY. I I 5 

dons, reading pious books, and performing the 
works of mercy, spiritual and corporal, particu- 
larly instructing the ignorant in the way of salva- 
tion, both by word and example, are suitable 
works of piety whereby we may keep holy the 
Lord's Day. " They that instruct many to justice 
shall shine as stars for all eternity." (Dan. xii. 
3.) These words of the prophet show how 
agreeable it is in the sight of God to lead any 
one into the way of salvation, whether that is 
done by word or by example. Of good advice 
enforced by example, our Blessed Lord says : 
" Whosoever shall do and teach, the same shall 
be called great in the kingdom of heaven." 
(Matt. v. 19.) "He who mortifies his body by 
austerities, merits less than he who gains a 
soul to God." 

50. Besides Vespers, so called because they 
are sung in the evening, there are other evening 
devotions, such as the Rosary, the Litanies, the 
Way of the Cross, which are usual on Sunday. 
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, hearing 
sermons and catechetical instructions are re- 
ligious exercises suitable for Sunday. 



Il6 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 



17. 

SABBATH BREAKING. 

51. The third commandment forbids all un 
necessary servile work on Sunday, and whatever 
may hinder the due observance of the Lord's 
Day, or may tend to profane it. Servile work is 
such as exercises the body rather than the mind, 
and is usually done by servants, mechanics and 
laborers. Factory work, tilling the fields and 
manual labor in general are forbidden on 
Sunday. When any of these are necessary, 
such as preparing food, feeding cattle, saving 
crops and such like, they may be done on 
Sunday. Necessary works of charity or piety 
are also lawful on the Lord's Day. All public 
business and the noisy traffic of markets, fairs 
and open shops or stores should cease on Sun- 
day. The gravest profanations of the Lord's 
Day arise from the sale of intoxicating liquors 
in saloons on Sunday. (Council of Baltimore, 
III. Plen.) 

52, We rest from labor on Sunday that Ave 
may be free to worship God and attend to our 
other religious duties. He alone celebrates the 
Sunday properly who so rests from worldly 
occupations as to spend the time in spiritual 
occupations and needed recreation. It is a well- 



SABBATH BREAKING. I I 7 

known fact that uninterrupted work long con- 
tinued is injurious to health. Our heavenly 
Father has provided the day of rest for the good 
of soul and body. Work that depends more on 
the mind than on the body, such as reading, art 
work, music and the like is allowed on Sunday. 
The ordinary daily work required in the house- 
hold is in a sense necessary and therefore 
allowed. 

53. Sunday is profaned and perverted, not 
only by servile work and by neglect of religious 
duties, but also by drunkenness, gambling and 
criminal amusements making it a day of revelry 
and public scandal. It is lawful and sometimes 
laudable to refresh the mind by innocent amuse- 
ment on Sunday, provided the duties of the day 
are not neglected. As the principal work of 
piety and the chief duty of religion is the hearing 
of Mass, the Church commands all to sanctify 
the Sunday in this way. Among the other pious 
practices usual on that day, each is left free to 
choose what best suits his disposition and 
spiritual needs. None of them are of strict 
obligation, though all are highly salutary, and it 
would be rash to neglect them altogether. 

54. The duty of keeping holy one day in 
seven remains in full force, although the day 
of rest was changed from Saturday to Sunday. 
In Exodus we read : " Six days shall you do 



I I 8 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

work : in the seventh day is the Sabbath, the 
rest holy to the Lord. Every one that shall 
do any work on this clay shall die/' (xxxi. 15.) 
And in Ezechiel, " They grievously violated My 
Sabbaths : I said, therefore, that I would pour 
out My indignation upon them in the desert, 
and consume them/' (xx. 13.) As God 
threatens with the most severe chastisements 
those who profane the Sabbath, so also does He 
often bestow special blessings on families and 
nations that keep the Sunday as a day of rest 
and divine worship. 

18, 

HONOR DUE TO PARENTS. 

55. The fourth commandment is : Honor thy 
father and thy mother, that thy days may be 
long in the land. This commandment enjoins 
on us the duty of loving, revering, obeying and 
assisting our parents. Obedience and respect 
for all lawful superiors, religious and civil, and 
all who stand in the place of parents to us, are 
also enjoined by this commandment. The Pope, 
the bishops and priests are our spiritual fathers, 
because through them we receive the spiritual 
life of grace and become the adopted children 
of God. We are bound to reverence them and 
obey them in all spiritual things and religious 
matters. (Col. iii. 20.) To love one's parents 



HONOR DUE TO PARENTS. II9 

is to have a great filial affection for them, and to 
show this by words and actions. It is our duty 
to pray for them, to be kind to them, bearing 
with patience their weaknesses, especially those 
of sickness, temper and old age. " Son, support 
the old age of thy father and grieve him not in 
his life." (Ecclus. hi. 14.) 

56. We should always cherish in our hearts a 
true filial love for our parents. We should show 
our love for them by laboring for their comfort 
and peace of mind. No word or action of ours 
should give them pain or bring grief or shame 
upon them. We should bear patiently their rule, 
and give ear to their teaching and admonition. 
We should humbly accept correction and chas- 
tisement at their hands. It is our duty to 
consult their will, yield to their wishes, heed 
their warnings and advice and pay to them all 
due respect and deference. We honor God 
when we honor our parents. " Let every one 
fear his father and his mother. I am the Lord 
your God." (Lev. xix. 3.) Children obey their 
parents by doing carefully what they command, 
and by avoiding what they forbid. 

57. The duty of obedience to parents extends 
to all things that are not contrary to the law 
of God. " Children," says St. Paul, " obey your 
parents in all things ; for this is well pleasing to 
the Lord." (Col. hi. 20.) The commands and 



120 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

instructions of parents to children living under 
their authority, in matters relating to conduct, 
company, books, reading, amusement and the 
like, impose a real obligation on the children. 
As we owe our existence, early nurture and edu- 
cation to our parents, there is no higher natural 
duty than filial love and reverence, except our 
duty towards God. Children should obey their 
parents readily and cheerfully, and never with 
murmurs or vexatious delays. They should 
acknowledge their faults and receive reproof 
kindly. " He that loveth correction," says the 
wise man, " loveth knowledge ; but he that 
hateth reproof is foolish." (Prov. xii. i.) We 
are obliged to assist our parents, especially in 
their spiritual necessities, and aid them in the 
hour of death by securing for them the Sacra- 
ments of the Church. Civil rulers, teachers and 
superiors have an authority over us that comes 
from God, and stand to us in a relation similar 
to that of parents. They, therefore, are entitled 
to such respect and obedience as their office 
demands and is worthy of. 

19. 

SINS AGAINST PARENTS. 

58. The fourth commandment forbids all 
contempt, stubborness, ill-will and disobedience 
to parents and superiors. " The eye that mock- 



SINS AGAINST PARENTS. 121 

eth at his father, and that despiseth his mother, 
let the ravens of the brooks pick it out, and the 
young eagles eat it." (Prov. xxx. 17.) 

Children sin against the respect they owe to 
their parents, when in their heart they despise 
or contemn them, when they speak ill of them 
or treat them harshly and insolently. The 
stubborn child, that is, one that is self-willed 
and headstrong, is the parent's cross and his 
own ruin. 

59. Children sin against their parents if they 
harbor hatred towards them, wish them ill or do 
them harm in any way. It is a grievous sin to 
curse or strike one's father or mother. To 
grieve or vex them by rude language or bad 
conduct is forbidden. " He that striketh his 
father or mother shall be put to death." (Exod. 
xxi. 15.) And "He that curseth his father and 
mother, his lamp shall be put out in the midst 
of darkness." (Prov. xx. 20.) Children sin 
against obedience due to their parents, when 
they obey them grudgingly or refuse to do what 
they command. In the Old Law T God ordered 
that, " If a man have a stubborn and unruly son, 
who will not hear the commandments of his 
father or mother, and being corrected, slighteth 
obedience . . . the people of the city shall stone 
him: and he shall die." (Deut. xxi. 18, 21.) 
Undutiful and disobedient children may expect 



122 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

the curse of God, disgrace and misfortune in 
this life ; and in the life to come, eternal damna- 
tion. " Cursed be he that honoreth not his 
father and mother ; and all the people shall 
say: Amen." (Deut. xxvii. 16.) 

20. 

DUTIES OF PARENTS.* 

60. The chief duties of parents are, to provide 
for their children ; to instruct them in the- 
Christian doctrine and other knowledge neces- 
sary for them ; and by every means in their 
power to lead them to God. (I. Tim. v. 8.) To 
preserve the lives of their offspring is the first 
and most imperative duty of parents. Taking 
the lives of infants either before or after birth, 
is a most heinous form of murder. 

61. Parents are bound to supply their children 
with food, clothing and other necessaries in their 
tender years ; and if able, to procure for them 
an education that will be useful to them in after 
life. Parents are to teach their children and all 
under their care, personally or by others, the 
usual prayers, the chief truths of religion, the 
catechism and what is needed for the worthy 
reception of the Sacraments. Heads of families 
should also teach their children and domestics 
to fear and love God, to hate sin, to shun bad 
company, to reflect often on the great truths of 

* See Note, page 443. 



DUTIES OF PARENTS. 1 23 

religion and to bear in mind these words of our 
Lord, " What doth it profit a man, if he gain the 
whole world and lose his own soul ? " (Matt, 
xvi. 26.) 

62. The means that parents can employ, are 
good example, advice and correction. They 
should lead them to prayer, to Mass and to 
the Sacraments, and frequently pray for their 
spiritual and temporal welfare. " If any man," 
says St. Paul, " have not care of his own, and 
especially of those of his house, he hath denied 
the faith and is worse than an infidel." (I. 
Tim. v. 8.) 

63. The special reward promised by God to 
dutiful children is a long life, and happiness 
even in this world. (Ephes. vi.) Dutiful children 
are those who reverence and obey their parents. 
" Honor thy father and thy mother, which is the 
first commandment with a promise ; that it may 
be well with thee, and thou mayest be long- 
lived upon the earth." (Ephes. vi, 2, 3.) This 
promise will be fulfilled in the case of dutiful 
children, unless God foresees that it is for their 
greater good to die young. " He pleased God 
and was beloved, and living among sinners he 
was translated. He was taken away lest wicked- 
ness should alter his understanding, or deceit 
beguile his soul." (Wisdom iv. 10, 11.) 



124 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE, 

21. 

THE CIVIL LAW. 

64. It is the duty of all, for conscience' sake, 
to obey the civil law and state authorities. 
" Let every soul be subject to the higher 
powers. " (Rom. xiii.) Secular rulers are for 
the good of the community. Their office is to 
keep order in the State, and defend it from its 
enemies and administer justice. They keep the 
peace, make and enforce laws that secure to 
every man his rights. Civil magistrates by the 
administration of justice protect all in their 
person, property and good name. They are 
entitled to our respect as the representatives 
of God in the temporal order. (I. Peter ii. 13.) 

65. We are bound to obey the laws of the 
State when they are not contrary to the law of 
God. Should the law be unjust or in contempt 
of 'religion, we are not bound to obey it. In 
such a case, our answer should be that of St. 
Peter : " We ought to obey God rather than 
men." (Acts v. 29.) The motive of obedience 
should be not merely fear of penalties, but a 
conscientious sense of duty. " Not only for 
wrath but for conscience' sake." (I. Peter ii.) ; 
" for there is no power but from God ; and those 
that are, are ordained of God." (Rom. xiii. 1.) 



DUTIES OF EMPLOYERS. 1 25 

It is the will of God that we should obey the 
civil rulers. It is from Him they have their 
authority. Pay no heed to the enemies of 
Church and State " who promise liberty, whereas 
they themselves are the slaves of corruption." 
(II. Peter ii. 19.) We may seek redress of 
grievances in ways that do not violate the moral 
law. We should pray for civil rulers that God 
may inspire them with the spirit of wisdom and 
justice ; and also for all who are in high station ; 
that is, for those who have a share in the 
government of the State. The peace and welfare 
of mankind, in the spiritual as well as in the 
temporal order, are greatly promoted by the 
wisdom, justice and prudence of secular rulers. 

22. 

DUTIES OF EMPLOYERS. 

66. The chief duties of employers towards 
their workmen are to treat them with justice, 
humanity and liberality, and aid them in leading 
good lives. They should set them an example 
of good moral conduct. Domestic servants 
should be invited to join in the family prayers, 
and allowed time to attend -Church on Sundays 
and approach the Sacraments. Employers of 
labor are bound to pay fair wages, and care for 
the comfort and welfare of their laborers. It 
is wrong for them to make profit out of their 



126 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

poverty by reducing their wages to the lowest 
point that will support life. The laborer in his 
prime, is bound to lay up provisions for his old 
age and for his children. St. Paul says : " Mas- 
ters, do to your servants that which is just and 
equal, knowing that you also have a Master in 
heaven." (Col. iv. i.) "With what measure 
you mete, it shall be measured ta you again." 
(Matt. vii. 2.) All mankind are but one family 
before God, Who is the supreme Master. Those 
in authority are but higher servants in this great 
family, and are accountable to God for their 
conduct. 

67. The chief duties of servants and appren- 
tices to their masters are, to be obedient, 
respectful and faithful to them, to be diligent 
in their work, and not to allow their masters to 
be injured in their property by their fault, 
(Ephes. vi. ; Col. ii.) " Not serving to the eye. 
as it were pleasing men, but as the servants of 
Christ, doing the will of God from the heart." 
(Ephes. vi. 5, 6.) Domestic servants should 
take good care of everything in their charge. 
They are bound to save their employers from 
loss as far as it is in their power, and avoid 
waste and idleness. When a domestic has 
rendered long and faithful service in a family, 
showing an interest in the work of the house, 
and affection for the members of the household, 



THE SIN OF MURDER. \2J 

something more than the mere wages agreed 
upon should be given as a grateful acknowl- 
edgment and reward of fidelity. " Let a wise 
servant be dear to thee as thy own soul ; de- 
fraud him not of liberty, nor leave him needy." 
(Ecclus. vii. 22, 23.) In sickness, old age 
or misfortune, faithful servants should receive 
some return for the services they have rendered. 

68. Servants owe their masters respect, fidelity 
and ready obedience. They should never injure 
them by revealing their private affairs, or disclose 
the secrets of the family. St. Paul " exhorts 
servants to be obedient to their masters, in all 
things pleasing, not gainsaying, not defrauding, 
but in all things showing good fidelity, that they 
may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in 
all things. " (Titus ii. 9, 10.) 

33. 

THE SIN OF MURDER. 

69. The fifth commandment is : Thou shalt 
not kill. To kill is to destroy human life. 
This precept includes all injury to the life or 
person of ourselves or others. The fifth com- 
mandment forbids all wilful murder, quarrelling, 
fighting, drunkenness, hatred, anger and revenge. 
By wilful murder is meant the taking away of 
human life by design, through anger, revenge, 
jealousy or from any other bad motive. Murder 



128 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

is in itself so great a sin, that it cries to heaven 
for vengeance ; and God Himself in the Old 
Law, directed that it be punished with death. 
The right to take away human life belongs 
only to God Who gave it, and to the State as a 
penalty for crime or to the individual in lawful 
self-defence. Murder is one of the greatest 
injuries that can be done to a man, because it 
not only deprives him of what is most precious 
to him in this world, but it also emperils his soul 
by cutting him off perhaps in sin. 

70. Murder is punished, even in this life, by 
the. tortures of remorse, and often by a shameful 
death, as we learn from the examples of Cain 
and of Achab and Jezebel. Some kinds of 
murder are more grievous than others. Murder 
resolved upon beforehand is a more wicked act 
than that which is the result of a sudden 
impulse. The more valuable the life taken, 
the more sacred the person killed, the nearer 
by kinship the person is, the more grievous is 
the crime. Holy Scripture speaks in the strong- 
est terms of the sin of murder ; thus, " Whosoever 
shall shed man's blood, his blood shall be shed ; 
for man was made to the image of God." (Gen. 
ix. 6.) Again, " He that striketh a man with a 
will to kill him, shall be put to death. ... If a 
man shall kill his neighbor on set purpose, and 
by lying in wait for him ; thou shalt take him 



THE SIN OF MURDER. I2g 

away from my altar that he may die." (Exod. 
xxi. 12, 14.) And the Lord said to Cain : "the 
voice of thy brother's blood crieth to Me from 
the earth ; now therefore, cursed shalt thou be 
upon the earth, which hath opened her mouth 
and received the blood of thy brother at thy 
hand." (Gen. iv. 10, 11.) 

71. Human life may be taken without sin in 
the repression of the worst forms of crime by 
proper authority ; in just warfare, and in neces- 
sary self-defence, where one's life is in peril 
from an unjust aggressor. 

72. It is a sin to give or accept a challenge 
to a duel. This is a great crime against all 
divine and human order. All who are accessory 
to it, even voluntary witnesses purposely present 
as public spectators, incur excommunication. 
Those who fall In duels are deprived of the 
prayers of the Church and also of Christian 
burial. The same is true of those who while 
sane, commit suicide, and die without giving 
signs of repentance. He who commits suicide, 
or self-murder, is guilty of three great crimes ; 
a crime against God, Who alone is master of 
life and death ; a crime against his soul, which 
he ushers into eternal torments ; a crime against 
human society, and especially against his re- 
lations, on whom his death brings grief and 
disgrace, and often serious loss. A person is 



I30 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE, 

never justified in exposing his life to danger 
without necessity; but, when a higher duty 
requires him to take the risk, he may do so. 
A person may wish to die through an ardent 
desire to avoid sin and be with Christ. 

24. 

QUARRELLING AND DRUNKENNESS. 

73. Quarrelling and righting are forbidden be- 
cause they are a breach of the peace, and often 
result in personal injury. Moreover, quarrels 
and drunken broils sometimes end in murder. 

74. Drunkenness arises from drinking intoxi- 
cants till one loses his senses or reason ; and 
willingly and knowingly to deprive oneself of 
the use of reason in the pursuit of pleasure, is a 
mortal sin. Against this shameful vice, Holy 
Scripture speaks in several places, thus : " Take 
heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be 
overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, 
and that day (of death or judgment) come upon 
you suddenly." (Luke xxi. 34); "Woe to you 
that rise up early in the morning to follow 
drunkenness, and to drink till the evening " 
(Isa. v. 11) ; for "neither shall drunkards possess 
the kingdom of God." (I. Cor. vi. 10.) The 
evil effects of drunkenness or intemperance, 
especially when it is habitual, may be briefly 
stated thus : it changes men to brutes, robs 



QUARRELLING AND DRUNKENNESS. I 3 I 

them of their reason, disables them physically 
and morally, shortens their lives, consumes their 
substance, ruins the peace of their families, 
foments their passions and lust, makes them 
slaves to sensuality, unfits them for spiritual 
duties, exposes them to temptations and shuts 
out the grace of God. Intemperance, when 
habitual, is seldom cured, and finally drags down 
the soul to hell. 

75. By hatred is meant a settled dislike and 
ill-will to another, which is shown by a desire to 
injure him, by taking pleasure in hearing him 
spoken ill of, and by refusing to speak to him. 
" But I say to you, love your enemies ; do good 
to them that hate you." (Matt. v. 44.) Anger 
is a strong but passing feeling of resentment or 
displeasure. Anger is sinful when it is inordi- 
nate ; but anger arising from zeal for God's 
honor, is just and right ; hence the Apostle says, 
"Be angry, and sin not." (Ephes. iv. 26.) 
Revenge, that is requiting evil with evil, or 
wishing to do so, is the result of anger or hatred, 
and is a sin. " Revenge not yourselves, my 
dearly beloved, but give place to wrath ; revenge 
is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord." (Rom. 
xii. 19.) 

76. The fifth commandment also forbids all 
injurious words, the giving of scandal or bad 
example, and refusing to be reconciled with 



132 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

those we have offended." (Matt. v. 23.) In- 
jurious words are such as are spoken in order 
to vex or injure others; words hurtful to 
another's feelings, as nicknames, scurrilous lan- 
guage, and the like. " Injurious words . . . 
reproaches and threats/' says Ecclesiasticus, 
"go before blood." (xxii. 30.) 

25. 

SCANDALS. 

77. The word scandal means a stumbling- 
block. Any word or act, morally wrong, or in- 
citing to evil, that tends to lead another to fall 
into sin, is a scandal. Bad example is given by 
saying or doing what is wrong in the presence 
of others. Bad example, so far as it induces 
others to commit sin, is scandal. In general, 
all those who in any way incite or lead others 
to evil are guilty of giving scandal. Immoral 
songs or stories, improper plays, indecent pic- 
tures and immodesty in dress, are often the 
cause of scandal. He who gives scandal is a 
minister of Satan, seducing to their ruin souls 
that Jesus Christ has ransomed with His pre- 
cious blood. When by doing something which 
has the appearance of evil, though really lawful 
in itself, one foresees that weak persons will be 
induced by seeing it to commit sin, both the 
love of God and the love of his neighbor oblige 



SCANDALS. 133 

him to take every reasonable precaution to pre- 
vent this scandal. (See Matt. xvii. 26.) If 
murder of the body cries to heaven for ven- 
geance, how much more the ruin of the soul ? 
Through scandal given by wicked companions, 
young persons are led into all manner of evil. 
By these, or similar causes, many unhappy 
youths grow up to be drunkards and libertines, 
void of all practical religion. 

78. Of scandal in general, our Lord says : 
" Woe to the world because of scandals. For it 
must needs be that scandals come, . . . never- 
theless, woe to that man by whom the scandal 
cometh." (Matt, xviii. 7.) Of scandalizing the 
young, our Lord says : " He that shall scandalize 
one of these little ones that believe in Me, it 
were better for him that a mill-stone were 
hanged about his neck, and that he were 
drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matt, 
xviii. 6.) 

He who has caused another's spiritual ruin, 
should repent sincerely, make such repara- 
tion as the case admits and his confessor 
prescribes, and should strive by his edifying 
conduct in the future, to undo the harm he 
has done. 

If we have given scandal or offended any one 
through our own fault, we should be reconciled 
with him. " If," says our Lord, " thou ofler thy 



134 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

gift at the altar, and there thou remember that 
thy brother hath aught against thee, go first to 
be reconciled to thy brother, and then, coming, 
thou shalt offer thy gift." (Matt. v. 23, 24.) 
Thus we see that brotherly love is implied in 
the fifth commandment. 

26. 

SINS AGAINST CHASTITY. 

79. The sixth commandment is : Thou shalt 
not commit adultery. The sixth commandment 
forbids all unchastity with another's wife or hus- 
band. It also forbids immodest actions, looks, 
or words, immoral songs, novels and plays, 
and everything that is contrary to chastity. 
" Mortify, therefore, your members : fornication, 
uncleanness, lust, evil concupiscence." (Col. 
iii. 5.) Of these sins, the Apostle, writing to 
the Galatians says : " that they who do such 
things, shall not obtain the kingdom of God." 
(v. 19-21.) God regards sins against chastity 
with special loathing because they defile the 
image of God in the soul, and the temple of the 
Holy Ghost. "Know you not," says St. Paul, 
" that you are the temple of God, and that the 
spirit of God dwelleth in you? But if any 
man violate the temple of God, him shall God 
destroy." (I. Cor. iii. 16, 17.) God has often 
punished sins of unchastity even in this life. 



SINS AGAINST CHASTITY. 1 35 

On account of this sin, God sent the deluge, 
which destroyed the whole human race — Noah 
and his family excepted. Some centuries after- 
ward, he consumed with fire and brimstone the 
impure inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha ; 
none being saved from that terrible visitation of 
God's wrath but Lot and his wife and his two 
daughters. (Gen. vii. xix.) This sin often 
brings about the ruin of bodily and mental 
health. 

80. The evil effects which follow it even in 
this life, are signs of its enormity, and often 
plunge the sinner into the greatest misery, 
shame, and despair. Divorces, family feuds, 
jealousies, murders, and public scandals are 
often the consequences of unchastity. Many 
temptations assail the soul, through the senses ; 
hence we should place a strict guard over them, 
especially over the eyes. " Death is come up 
through our windows. " (Jer. ix. 21.) " My eye 
hath destroyed my soul." (Lam. iii. 51.) 

81. It is sinful to join in immodest dances 
or plays, to encourage them, or to be present at 
them. The Holy Ghost says : " He that loveth 
danger shall perish in it ; he that toucheth pitch 
shall be defiled with it " ; and asks, " Can a man 
hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not 
burn ? or, can he walk upon hot coals, and 
his feet not be burnt?" (Prov. vi. 27, 28.) 



I36 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Every Christian has renounced in baptism the 
pomps and vanities of the devil and of the world. 
Immodest plays and dances, indecent styles of 
dress and seductive costumes, are certainly a 
part of these pomps and vanities. We are com- 
manded by the sixth commandment to be pure 
and chaste in mind and body, because we are 
members of Jesus Christ, and temples of the 
Holy Ghost. We should, therefore, whether we 
are alone or with others, never say or do anything 
that we would be ashamed of before those whom 
we respect. God is always witness of what we 
do. 

27. 

INJUSTICE. 

82. The seventh commandment is : Thou 
shalt not steal. The seventh commandment 
forbids all unjust taking or keeping what belongs 
to another. The chief sins against this com- 
mandment are theft, robbery and usury. Theft 
is the taking secretly and wrongfully of what 
belongs to another, against his will. Robbery is 
open and violent plunder. Usury is the taking 
of interest for the use of money without any 
just title. " If a man be just, hath taken 
nothing away by violence, hath not lent upon 
usury, he is just, he shall surely live, saith 
the Lord God." (Ezech. xviii, 5.) Children sin 
by taking any of the family goods against 



CHEATING IN BUSINESS. I 37 

the reasonable will of their parents, or by mis- 
using what is given to them for their education, 
clothing, or other real wants. Workmen sin by 
wasting their time, and also by neglecting, or 
doing badly a work for which they are paid. It 
is downright theft when laborers and mechanics 
exact full wages for faulty work or slovenly 
service. 

83. A person sins by refusing to repay what 
was only lent to him ; by not returning things 
left in his care, or not applying them to the pur- 
poses for which they were intended ; by neglect- 
ing to pay his just debts ; and by receiving 
goods which he believes to have been stolen. 

84. Theft is a mortal sin when the thing 
stolen is of considerable value, or when, though 
it is of small value, we know that its loss under 
the circumstances will cause grievous injury to 
our neighbor. Even small thefts, when oft re- 
peated, may become a mortal sin, though each 
may be only venial in itself, 

28. 

CHEATING IN BUSINESS. 

This commandment also forbids all cheating 
in buying or selling, or any other injury done to 
our neighbor in his property. (I. Cor. v. 10.) 
Any deceitful practice by which our neighbor is 
deprived of his property by fraud is called cheat- 



I38 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

ing. A person commits the sin of cheating in 
buying or selling, by getting. goods under false 
pretences ; by knowingly passing bad money ; 
by misrepresenting the quality of the goods 
sold ; or selling damaged goods for sound ; and 
by using false weights and measures. " False 
weights and diverse measures, both are abomi- 
nable before God. A deceitful balance is an 
abomination before the Lord, and a just weight 
is His will." (Prov. xx. 10 ; xi. 1.) If a person 
kills, maims, or wounds another's cattle ; destroys 
or injures his crops, dwelling, or goods of any 
kind, he sins against justice. 

85. We are commanded by the seventh com- 
mandment to pay our lawful debts, and to give 
to every one his own. Lawful debts are w r hat is 
lawfully due by us to others. Wages earned by 
those who work for us, borrowed money, goods 
purchased on credit and such like, are lawful 
debts. " Bow down thy ear cheerfully to the 
poor, and pay what thou owest." (Ecclus. iv. 8.) 
" If any man hath done work for thee . . . 
pay him his hire, and let not the wages of thy 
hired servant stay with thee at all." (Tobias iv. 
15.) They who have ill-gotten goods, or keep 
unjustly what belongs to another, must restore 
them as soon as possible, otherwise the sin will 
not be forgiven them. Ill-gotten goods are money, 
wares, or things of value obtained dishonestly. 



CHEATING IN BUSINESS. 1 39 

86. Restitution means restoring goods or 
money held unjustly, or the value of them, to 
the owner. We are bound to make restitution (if 
in our power) under pain of sin. This obligation 
falls not only on the actual doer of the wrong, 
but on all who have in any way shared in his 
guilt. The wrongful possessor of stolen property 
is, before all others, bound to make restitution ; 
but if he fails to do so, then his partners in the 
crime must make restitution in full. Restitution 
must be made to him who has been wronged ; 
or, if he is dead, to his heirs ; and if that be 
not possible, the sum must be given in alms to 
the poor. Restitution must be made as soon 
as possible, and he who, when able, defers it 
for a notable time is guilty of sin. Should the 
owner or creditor suffer loss by the delay, the 
loss must be made good by the guilty party. 
If one cannot make full restitution, he must at 
least restore what he can, and have the intention 
of repaying all as soon as possible. It is not 
enough to confess sins of injustice ; restitution 
must also be made if possible ; for otherwise 
the sins will not be forgiven. To defer payment 
of one's just debts, is to retain what belongs to 
another against his will, and to expose him to 
loss and inconvenience. Tradesmen and mer- 
chants are often ruined in this way, and then 
the debtor becomes guilty before God of a great 



I4O CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

injustice. It is wrong to steal even trifling 
things, for even the smallest theft is a venial 
sin ; one thereby contracts a habit of pilfering 
difficult to be overcome, and sometimes leading 
to grave injustice ; for, says our Lord, " He that 
is unjust in that which is little, is unjust also in 
that which is greater." (Luke-xvi. 10.) 

29. 

THE SIN OF LYING. 

87. The eighth commandment is : Thou shalt 
not bear false witness against thy neighbor. To 
bear false witness means to swear falsely before 
a judge, or to testify untruthfully, whether on 
oath or otherwise. " A false witness shall not 
be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall 
perish." (Prov. xix. 9.) The eighth command- 
ment forbids all false testimony, rash judgment 
and lies. (Matt. vii. 1.) An untruthful state- 
ment made upon oath in a court of justice, is 
false testimony. False testimony of this kind, 
is always a grievous sin, for it includes perjury, 
which is a mortal sin even in a small matter. 
When we give evidence in a court of justice, 
under oath or not, we should tell the truth, just 
as it is, or as we believe it to be. 

88. Rash judgment is judging evil of another 
without sufficient evidence. "Judge not," says 
our Lord, " that you may not be judged : for 



THE SIN OF LYING. I4I 

with what judgment you judge, you shall be 
judged." (Matt. vii. 1, 2.) When suspicions or 
thoughts unfavorable to our neighbor occur to 
our minds, we must not harbor them, but reject 
them as soon as we see that they are not well 
founded. The prudent suspicions of superiors, 
and of fathers of families, are lawful, for it is 
their duty to watch over those under their 
charge so as to keep them from wrong-doing. 

89. A lie is a saying contrary to what we 
know or believe, with the intention to deceive. 
" It is having one thing in mind and another 
on the tongue." We may be guilty of a lie 
by a sign as well as by speaking. A falsehood 
committed to writing is more sinful than when 
merely spoken. There are three kinds of lies, 
namely, jocose, officious and malicious. Jocose 
fictions are told in jest ; but there is no sin in a 
jocose fiction the untruth of which is evident, or 
in certain phrases sanctioned by custom, which 
appear false, but are well understood and deceive 
nobody. Officious lies are told to avert some 
evil, to obtain some good or to excuse ourselves 
or others. It is a venial sin at least, to tell an 
officious lie. Malicious lies are those that injure 
our neighbor. A malicious lie is a mortal sin 
when it causes a serious injury to the honor or 
goods of another. Of such lies the Holy Script- 
ure says : " A lying mouth killeth the soul ; " 



142 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

" lying lips are an abomination to the Lord ; " 
and " a thief is better than a liar, but both shall 
inherit destruction.'' (Wis. i. 11 ; Prov. xii. 22 ; 
Ecclus. xx. 27.) " The devil is a liar and the 
father thereof." (John viii. 14.) No lie can be 
lawful or innocent, and no motive however good, 
can excuse a lie ; because a lie is always sinful 
and bad in itself. (John viii. 44.) 

90. The end does not justify means that are 
bad in themselves. A good end cannot make 
evil means just and right ; and hence St. Paul 
expressly declares that we must not " do evil 
that there may come good " from it. ^Rom. iii. 
8.) A lie is always sinful, because it is the foe 
of truth, and therefore hostile to God Who is 
truth itself. It may also mislead our neighbor 
to his loss or to the injury of another. 

Hypocrisy, being a false pretence of virtue 
intended to deceive, is a lie. 

30. 

SLANDER. 

91. The eighth commandment also forbids all 
backbiting, calumny, detraction and all words 
hurtful to our neighbor's honor or reputation. 

Slander or calumny is a lie told to the injury 
of another's good name. 

Backbiting is speaking maliciously of the 
known faults of another in his absence. 



SLANDER. 143 

Detraction is the injury done to another's 
character by making known without just cause 
his secret faults. " My son, have nothing to do 
with detractors, for their destruction shall rise 
suddenly." (Prov. xxiv. 21, 22.) 

In these cases the degree of guilt depends 
upon the amount of injury done the character of 
the person injured, the publicity given to it, and 
the malice of the motive of the sinner. 

92. It is sometimes lawful and even a duty, 
through motives of charity or justice, to reveal 
the faults of others to those who have the 
authority to correct them or are able to pre- 
vent further evil. 

It is never lawful to aid, even by silence, in 
the defamation of character. If we can, we 
should silence the defamer and undo the evil. 
We should at least show by our manner that we 
abhor evil speaking. " The north wind driveth 
away rain, so doth a sad countenance a back- 
biting tongue." (Prov. xxv. 23.) 

Detraction is a triple injury, involving the 
speaker, the person spoken of and the listener. 

Contumely is an insult that affronts a person 
in his presence and wounds his honor. 

Tale-bearing, gossip and evil report, often 
destroy the peace of families or estrange friends. 
Malicious tattle of this kind is detestable. 

" Hast thou," says Ecclesiasticus, " heard a 



144 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

word against thy neighbor ? let it die within 
thee ; " for " The tale-bearer shall defile his own 
soul, and shall be hated by all." (xix. 10; xxi. 

31.) 

" These things the Lord detesteth : a lying 
witness and a sower of discord among brethren." 
(Prov. vi.) 

It is a sin of the tongue to reveal a secret en- 
trusted to us as long as it remains unknown to 
the public. It may be sometimes a duty for the 
public good to reveal a secret. Things known 
only under the sacramental seal of confession 
are never to be divulged. 

Lawyers and physicians as well as clergymen 
are bound to keep the secrets confided to them 
in their professional characters. 

Harsh reproaches, cruel jokes, malicious 
raillery, biting sarcasm, hints of evil are sinful 
abuses of the tongue. 

93. We are commanded by the eighth com- 
mandment to speak of others with justice and 
charity, as we w r ould be willing that they should 
speak of us, and to say nothing but the truth. 
We should always take just and charitable 
views of our neighbor's deeds and motives. 

It may be sometimes a duty either of charity 
or official station, to shield others by withholding 
the truth, except in a court of justice when law- 
fully questioned. 



SINS OF THOUGHT. I45 

They who have injured their neighbor's charac- 
ter in any way, must repair the injury as far as 
they are able and as soon as they can, and until 
they do so the sin will not be forgiven them. 

Holy Scripture tells us that " a good name 
is better than riches ; and good favor is above 
silver and gold." (Prov. xxii. 1.) If a lie has 
been told it must be retracted. 

The obligation of redressing wrongs of this 
kind is even greater than in cases of dishonesty. 
If truth will not permit us to repair the damage 
directly, we must speak well of the person de- 
famed as far as we can truthfully, and aid him in 
regaining his good name. In doubt, consult a 
prudent spiritual adviser. 

31. 

SINS OF THOUGHT. 

94. The ninth commandment is : Thou shalt 
not covet thy neighbor's wife. 

To shun evil thoughts and unlawful desires 
arising from the carnal appetites, is a pressing 
duty requiring constant watchfulness. 

Whatever is sinful in act is sinful in thought, 
if pleasure is voluntarily taken in it. Immoral 
acts of this kind are forbidden by the sixth com- 
mandment. Unchaste thoughts and desires are 
forbidden by the ninth commandment. Human 
laws forbid and punish only the external acts, 
but divine law condemns all evil thoughts and 



I46 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

wilful desires contrary to chastity. " Man seeth 
those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth 
the heart." (I. Kings xvi. 7.) 

95. The ninth commandment forbids all im- 
modest thoughts and desires, and all wilful 
pleasure in them. 

A person sins by immodest thoughts when he 
voluntarily entertains them. 

The sinfulness of such emotions arises from 
our wilful harboring of them, consenting to 
them, or taking pleasure in dwelling on them. 
Every sin against chastity that is fully consented 
to is a mortal sin. 

A person sins against this commandment 
when he voluntarily desires to see, hear, or do 
something that is contrary to chastity or purity. 
Immodest thoughts and desires that we reject 
and try to banish from our minds are not sins, 
because we have not made them our own. They 
are only temptations which become a source of 
merit to us if we resist and overcome them. 

96. This commandment also forbids all im- 
mediate or direct occasions of immodest thoughts 
and desires. 

Occasions of sin are such things as naturally 
tend to make us fall into sin. 

An occasion of sin may be either remote or 
near. It is said to be remote when it is such as 
seldom leads to sin, and so common that it can- 



SINS OF THOUGHT. 147 

not well be avoided. It is said to be near, and 
consequently sinful, if not avoided, when it is 
such as generally leads to sin. " He that loveth 
danger shall perish in it." (Ecclus. iii. 27.) 

God will not give grace to those who, without 
necessity, expose themselves voluntarily to the 
near occasions of sin. 

It is a sin thus to place oneself in the near 
occasion of sin, even though there be no inten- 
tion of sinning and no sin follows. 

Some occasions are dangerous to one person 
which are not so to another ; but whatever we 
know by experience or otherwise to be dangerous 
to us, we should carefully avoid. 

Some of the occasions of immodest thoughts 
and desires are unchaste words and discourses, 
immodest books and pictures, and all dances 
or other amusements that tend to inflame the 
sexual passions. 

97. We should never utter an indecent word, 
nor lend a willing ear to unchaste discourses. 
The Holy Ghost says, " Hedge in thy ears with 
thorns, hear not a wicked tongue." (Ecclus. 
xxviii. 28.) 

We should abstain from reading not only 
immodest and obscene books ; but such as treat 
of love in a manner suggestive of evil thoughts. 
" Vain reading," says St. Bonaventure, " begets 
vain thoughts, and extinguishes devotion." 



I48 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Improper books and pictures ought to be 
burned, lest through them any soul should burn 
in the fire of hell. 

The amusements that are specially hurtful to 
purity are immoral plays, immodest dances, 
indecent theatrical displays, stories of illicit 
amours and seductive love songs. 

Improper looks, idleness, bad company, excess 
in eating and drinking, may also become oc- 
casions of immodest thoughts and desires. 

Refrain from looking upon persons or objects 
that tend to provoke the passion of lust. 

98. Idleness is often an occasion of im- 
modest thoughts and desires, because the prone- 
ness of human nature to sin has free play in the 
vacant mind, and the devil is prompt to find 
sinful work for idle hands to do. " Idleness," 
says the Holy Ghost, " hath taught much evil." 
(Ecclus. xxxiii. 29.) "Let the devil," says St. 
Jerome, " always find you busy." 

Shun the company of those who are of licen- 
tious habits, bad morals and immodest tongues. 
6i Be not deceived," says St. Paul, " evil com- 
munications corrupt good manners." (I. Cor. 
xv. 33-) 

99. Intemperance, especially in the use of 
intoxicants, greatly excites the passions. It is 
scarcely possible to preserve chastity, and sup- 
press bad thoughts and desires, if one be not 



SINS OF THOUGHT. 1 49 

temperate in eating and drinking. "This kind 
(of devil) says our Lord, " is not cast out but by 
prayer and fasting." (Matt. xvii. 20.) 

100. Unchaste thoughts when they are enter- 
tained deliberately and with pleasure, defile the 
soul like criminal actions. (Matt. v. 28.) 

There are three stages of an evil thought. The 
suggestion, or the simple idea of the evil which 
comes to the mind. This in itself is not sin. 
The delectation or sensual pleasure which 
generally follows an evil thought ; and the 
consent of the will. If the mind knowingly 
and wilfully takes pleasure in the emotion 
felt, there is mortal sin. If consciousness of 
the evil is quite imperfect and the consent 
not full, the sin is less grave, and (may be) 
only venial. If the will does not consent at 
all, there is no sin. 

Bad thoughts are as sinful as bad actions 
when they are heartily consented to. Hence 
our Saviour expressly tells us, that a person 
may be guilty of adultery in his heart by lustful 
desires alone. (Matt. v. 28.) 

101. We are commanded by the ninth com- 
mandment to think on such things only as are 
just, innocent, modest or holy. " Whatsoever 
things are true, whatsoever modest, whatsoever 
just, whatsoever holy, . . . think on these things." 
(Phil. iv. 8.) 



I50 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

The memory of the presence of God, employ- 
ment for the mind and strict attention to the 
duties of one's state in life, are useful in ex- 
cluding bad thoughts from the mind. 

33. 

COVETOUSNESS. 

102. The tenth commandment is : Thou shalt 
not covet thy neighbor's goods. 

To covet is to desire to gain unlawfully the 
goods of another. 

The tenth commandment forbids all covetous 
thoughts and desires of our neighbor's goods or 
profits. " The desire of money is the root of all 
evils." (I. Tim. vi. 10.) 

God forbids covetous desires, because they 
are bad in themselves, and are the source of 
external sins, such as theft and cheating. 

103. We are commanded by the tenth com- 
mandment to be content with our state and 
condition in life so as neither to murmur against 
God nor envy others. 

A Christian can easily remain content with 
what he has or can honestly earn, by bearing 
in mind that a good conscience is a priceless 
possession, that our perfect reward is in heaven, 
that Christ became poor for our sake, and that 
one day He will console and compensate all 
who suffer poverty patiently for His sake. It 



ON THE COMMANDMENTS. I CI 



is lawful, however, to use the abilities God has 
given us to increase our means, to better our 
condition in life and to advance our worldly 
interests. 



33. 

GENERAL REMARKS ON THE COMMAND- 
MENTS. 

104. The commandments were given to men 
by God Himself as a summary of all their duties 
and a means of temporal and eternal happiness. 

The ten commandments may be expressed in 
two great precepts of charity : " Thou shalt love 
the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with 
thy whole soul, and with all thy strength, and 
with all thy mind ; and thy neighbor as thyself. 
for God's sake. This do, and thou shalt live." 
(Luka x. 27.) 

To love God with our whole heart and soul 
requires that we should be entirely devoted to 
Him as most worthy of our love ; and be ready 
to give up riches, pleasures, even life itself, 
rather than forfeit His love, or lapse from the 
state of grace. " Whosoever," says our Lord, 
" will save his life, shall lose it ; and he that 
shall lose his life for My sake, shall find it." 
(Matt. xvi. 25.) 

We should employ our health and strength in 



152 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

the service of God, and use the talents He has 
given us for the advancement of His glory. We 
should devote all the faculties of our mind to 
the work of gaining a clearer knowledge of God, 
His attributes and His holy will. " Therefore," 
says the Apostle, "whether you eat or drink, or 
whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of 
God." (I. Cor. x. 31.) 

105. Our Lord tells us that to love God is 
" the greatest and first commandment. And 
the second is like to this : thou shalt love thy 
neighbor as thyself. On these two command- 
ments," continues our Lord, " dependeth the 
whole law, and the prophets." (Matt. xxii. 38.) 

Our blessed Lord says, " This is My com- 
mandment, that you love one another as I have 
loved you ; " and again, " by this shall all men 
know that you are My disciples, if you have love 
one for another." (John xv. 12 ; xiii. 35.) 

Under the term neighbor are included all, 
without exception of race or religion, even those 
who injure us. 

" There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is 
neither bond nor free, for you are all one 
in Christ Jesus, . . . Who gave Himself a re- 
demption for all." (Gal. iii. 28 ; I. Tim. ii. 6.) 

To love my neighbor as myself, is to love him 
with a love similar in kind, though inferior in 
degree, to that which I have for myself. Our 



ON THE COMMANDMENTS. I 53 

love for ourselves is to be the model of our love 
for others. 

We should desire for others as well as foi 
ourselves, happiness here and hereafter, pray 
for them and aid them in their necessities. 
In times of distress our next of kin have the 
strongest claims on our help. 

1 06. The golden rule laid down by Jesus 
Christ is : " As you would that men should do 
to you, do you also to them in like manner.''* 
(Luke vi. 31.) 

We are obliged to love even our enemies, 
" Love your enemies," says Christ, " do good to 
them that hate you, bless them that curse you, 
and pray for them that persecute and calumniate 
you.'* (Luke vi. ; Matt, v.) 

We are obliged to love our enemies because 
such is the will of God, and Jesus Christ, our 
Divine Model, has set the example of loving 
enemies. Besides, we wish to be forgiven by 
God. " If you will not forgive men, neither 
will your Heavenly Father forgive you your 
offences.'* (Matt. vi. 15.) 

Our Lord showed His love for His enemies in 
a special manner on the cross when He prayed 
for those who blasphemed, persecuted, calum- 
niated, and crucified Him. " Father, forgive 
them, for they know not what they do.'* (Luke 
xxiii. 34-39.) 



154 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

St. Stephen prayed for those who stoned him, 
saying ; " Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." 
(Acts vii. 59.) 

The way we should treat our enemies is 
shown by St. Paul ; " If thy enemy be hungry, 
give him to eat ■ if he thirst, give him to drink ; " 
and he adds ; " be not overcome by evil, but 
overcome evil by good.' , (Rom. xii. 20, 21.) 

St. Paul's own practice was in accord with 
his advice to others ; " We are reviled," he says, 
" and we bless ; we are persecuted, and we 
suffer it ; we are blasphemed, and we entreat." 
(I. Cor. iv. 12, 13.) 

107. In the sermon on the Mount, our Divine 
Saviour says, " Love your enemies, do good to 
them that hate you ; that you may be the chil- 
dren of your Father Who is in heaven ; who 
maketh His sun to rise upon the good and the 
bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust." 
(Matt. v. 44.) 

While we are bound to forgive injuries, we are 
not obliged to forego our rights in matters of 
justice. 

Charity requires that we should free our 
hearts from all ill-will, desire of revenge and 
hatred. If an enemy wishes to become our 
friend, or lay aside his hostility, we should be 
willing to be reconciled to him. 



THE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH. 155 



34. 

THE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH. 

108. The laws made by the Church for the 
guidance of the members and the good of souls, 
are binding under pain of sin on all the faithful. 

Some of these laws are special enforcements 
or practical applications of the divine law, and 
are equally binding with it. 

Some are ecclesiastical laws, and in so far as 
they are of human origin, do not bind where 
it would be too grievous a burden to observe 
them. The Church, for gcod cause, may dis- 
pense with them in special cases, or repeal them 
altogether. The authority that makes a law has 
always power to suspend it in a given case, or 
even annul it altogether. 

109. The chief commandments of the Church 
are : 

1. To hear Mass on Sundays and holydays of 

obligation, and abstain from servile works 
on those days. 

2. To fast or abstain on certain days named 

by the Church. 

3. To confess our sins to a priest at least once 

a year. 

4. To receive worthily the Blessed Eucharist 

within the paschal time each year. 



I $6 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

5. To contribute to the support of our pastors. 

6. Not to marry persons forbidden by the laws 

of the Church, nor in ways condemned 
by them. 

1 10. The precepts of the Church define more 
precisely the duties of Christians or carry out in 
detail the Divine law, and by leading us to a 
penitential life, help to secure our salvation. In 
some cases they merely point out to us how the 
law of God is to be kept, as to time, place or 
manner. 

For example, we are commanded by God to 
worship Him; and the Church, in her first 
precept, fixes particular days for divine worship, 
and the manner in which we are to fulfil this 
duty. The Scripture frequently inculcates the 
duty of fasting and abstaining ,* and the Church, 
in her second precept, obliges her children to 
fast or abstain on certain days fixed by her. 

The institution of the sacraments of Penance 
and the Blessed Eucharist implies an obligation 
on our part to receive them, and the Church 
commands her children to discharge this duty at 
least once a year. 

It is the duty of the faithful to obey the 
commandments of the Church. It is sinful to 
break them. Christ, Who established bishops 
to rule the Church of God, gave them power to 
make laws binding on the conscience. " He 






HEARING MASS. 157 

that heareth you, heareth Me ; and he that 
despiseth you, despiseth Me." (Luke x. 16.) 
To neglect the precepts of the Church is to 
despise Christ Himself. 

35. 

HEARING MASS. 

in. The first precept of the Church is : " To 
hear Mass on Sundays and holydays of obliga- 
tion." 

It is a mortal sin not to hear Mass on a 
Sunday or Holyday of obligation, if the omission 
be culpable. Parents and employers sin griev- 
ously, if, without sufficient cause, they hinder 
children, servants or any others subject to 
them, from hearing Mass on a Sunday or such 
Holyday. 

Of all the works cf piety by which we can 
sanctify Sundays and Holydays of obligation, the 
hearing of Mass is the best and most necessary. 
This duty is strictly enjoined on all the faithful 
who have come to the use of reason ; and it 
cannot be omitted without grievous sin, unless 
a serious hindrance intervenes. 

A culpable omission is one that happens 
through one's own fault, sloth or neglect. 

We sin against the first precept of the Church, 
when, through our own fault, we lose the entire 
Mass or a notable part of it ; when, during Mass, 



I$8 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

we voluntarily indulge in worldly thoughts, con- 
tinue to gaze around us through idle curiosity, 
laugh or otherwise behave irreverently. "The 
Lord is in his holy temple ; let all the earth 
keep silence before Him." (Hab. ii. 20.) 

112. To hear Mass we must be actually 
present in such a manner as to form a part of 
the congregation, and we must give attention suf- 
ficient to join in the service as an act of Divine 
worship. 

It is a mortal sin to be culpably absent from 
a large or essential part of the Mass, such as 
from the beginning of the Mass until the end 
of the Offertory, or during the consecration. 
The communion of the priest in both kinds, is 
an integral part of the Mass, and therefore 
should be awaited. It is a venial sin, generally^ 
to be absent during a small and unessential 
part of the Mass, though sometimes this may 
happen without sin. 

113. A sufficient cause to excuse a person 
from hearing Mass on a Sunday or on a Holyday 
of obligation, is sickness, or necessary nursing of 
the sick, guarding property, or taking care of 
young children. If there are two Masses, such 
persons may generally hear one of them, or hear 
Mass on alternate days. 

Very stormy weather, great distance from 
Church or bad state of the roads, may be good 



HOLIDAYS. 159 

excuses for not assisting at Mass, especially 
for the old and infirm. 

Those who cannot attend Mass should worship 
God at home, by prayer and pious reading. 

The Church commands us to hear Mass on 
Sundays and Holydays, because the Mass is 
the most holy and solemn of all acts of wor 
ship, and by it the Most High is honored in 
the manner most pleasing to Him. 



36. 

HOLYDAYS. 

114. Holydays are certain festival days or- 
dered by the Church to be kept holy. 

Festive days of religious observance are as 
old as public worship itself. Of such festivals 
we read : " These also are the holydays of the 
Lord, which you must celebrate in their season." 
(Lev. xxiii. 4.) 

Religious festivals were observed in the Old 
Law in order to render to God the solemn wor- 
ship due to him, to promote piety, and to cheer 
man's earthly pilgrimage with pious joy. 

In addition to the honor given to Christ and 
his saints by holydays of the New Law, they 
nourish the piety of the faithful, encourage them 
in well-doing, and inspire them with holy joy, 
by strongly reminding them of the great facts 



l60 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

of faith, and the example of Christ and his 
saints. 

Holydays of obligation we are bound to ob- 
serve as Sunday. 

115. There are six holydays of obligation in 
the United States. These are the Circumcision 
and the Ascension of our Lord, the Assumption 
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, All Saints Day, the 
Immaculate Conception and Christmas Day. 

The festivals of our Lord enable us to recall 
the mysteries of redemption ; thank him for 
the graces he merited for us, and show our 
zeal in his service. 

The feasts in honor of the saints remind us 
of their virtues, their holy lives, and their 
heavenly reward. They also move us to ask 
their prayers and imitate their virtues. 

Saints' Days were instituted by the Church 
that we might glorify God in his saints. 

Holydays enable us to give more of our 
time to the service of God and to works of 
charity. For those of little leisure they are 
occasions of learning the truths of religion. 

37. 

FASTING. 

116. The second commandment of the Church 
is : To fast and abstain on certain days fixed 
by the Church. 



FASTING. l6l 

We are obliged by this commandment of the 
Church to give parts of the year to fasting and 
abstinence. (Matt. vi. 16-18.) 

These are the Fridays of Advent ; the forty 
days of Lent ; the Ember days ; and the eves 
of certain feasts, namely, of Christmas, Pente- 
cost, the Assumption of our Lady and All Saints 

Our Lord does not condemn public fasting, 
but fasting through vainglory, and for the 
esteem of men. 

On fast days we are allowed but one meal, 
and are forbidden the use of flesh meat. 

In addition to one full meal, a collation, not 
exceeding eight ounces, is allowed on fast days. 

An ounce or two of bread with the morning 
tea or coffee is sanctioned by custom. 

The law of fasting is binding, under pain of 
mortal sin, upon all who have passed their 
twenty-first year, unless they are excused or 
dispensed from it. 

The following are excused from fasting : the 
sick and infirm ; the aged of failing strength ; 
all who cannot fast without seriously injuring 
their health, or unfitting them for their duties; 
those who are obliged to do hard labor. 

117. Days of abstinence are certain days on 
which we are forbidden to eat flesh meat, but 
are not restricted as to the number of meals. 

The law of abstinence is binding even on 



1 62 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

those who cannot fast but can abstain. Fasting 
includes abstinence. Certain exemptions as to 
the use of flesh meat are now granted in Lent, 
but meat and fish may not be used at the same 
meal during that time. 

The Church commands us to fast and abstain 
in order that we may mortify our passions, sub- 
due our appetites, and satisfy for our sins by 
doing penance for them. 

The Church commands us to abstain from 
flesh meat on Fridays in honor of our Saviour's 
death on Good Friday, and to remind us of it. 

It is fitting that we should suffer like him, 
if we are to share in the merits of his passion. 

38. 

ANNUAL CONFESSION. 

118. The third precept of the Church is : To 
confess our sins at least once a year. 

By this commandment we are obliged, if we 
are in sin, to go to confession within the year, 
and are threatened by the Church with severe 
penalties if we neglect doing so. 

Our Lord commanded us to receive the sacra- 
ments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist: 
the Church fixes the time within which this duty 
must be performed. 

Although to confess our sins once in the year 
is sufficient to comply with the precept, it is 



ANNUAL CONFESSION. 163 

not all that the Church desires or our spiritual 
good requires. 

A bad confession does not satisfy the obliga- 
tion, but renders us more guilty, by the additional 
crime of sacrilege. 

119. For all who are in the unavoidable 
occasion of sin, frequent confession is most 
useful, because by the grace of the sacrament 
and the advice of their confessor, they will be 
enabled to avoid sin. Frequent confession is 
necessary for all who desire to advance in piety, 
because the sacrament of penance is not only a 
remedy for sin, but an aid to virtue, and a great 
help in times of temptation. 

It is most dangerous for a person in mortal 
sin to put off conversion and confession ; for 
he may die at any moment, and be eternally 
lost. " Delay not to be converted to the Lord, 
and defer it not from day to day : for his wrath 
shall come on a sudden, and in the time of ven- 
geance he will destroy thee." (Ecclus. v. 8, 9.) 

Children are obliged to go to confession as 
soon as they can distinguish between right and 
wrong, that is, when they come to the use of 
reason, which is generally about the age of 
seven years. 

A general confession is sometimes useful 
and even necessary. 



164 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

39. 

EASTER COMMUNION. 

120. The fourth precept of the Church is : 
To receive the Holy Eucharist yearly at Easter 
or within the paschal time. 

It would be a grievous sin to neglect the 
Easter Communion, because it would be a 
breach of the command of Christ Himself 
and of the law of the Church fixing the time 
within which the duty should be fulfilled. (IV. 
Lateran Cap. 21.) 

The Paschal time in this country is from the 
first Sunday of Lent, to Trinity Sunday. 

That there is a divine command to receive 
the Holy Eucharist, is clear from these words 
of Jesus Christ : " Unless you eat the flesh of 
the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall 
not have life in you." (John vi. 54.) There 
are grave penalities attached to the violation 
of this law. 

We are commanded to receive the Blessed 
Eucharist within the Paschal time, because 
Jesus Christ instituted the Blessed Eucharist 
within that time. We should rise to a new 
and holy life, in imitation of our Lord's resur- 
rection. 

121. The Church wishes her children to 
receive Holy Communion not only at Easter, 



EASTER COMMUNION. 1 65 

but frequently during the year, because the 
graces of the Holy Eucharist nourish piety, 
strengthen virtue, and powerfully repel sin. 

Children are obliged to receive the Blessed 
Eucharist as soon as they are able to discern 
the body of the Lord ; that is, when they under- 
stand what the Blessed Eucharist is, and what 
is needed to receive it worthily. (I. Cor. xi. 29 J 

Children can " discern the body of the Lord," 
that is, know the real presence of our Lord 
under the appearances of the Sacramental 
Bread, soon after they come to the full use oi 
reason. The time of First Communion is more 
prudently left to the decision of th-3 pastor. 

122. The most holy sacrament is called celes* 
tial Bread, because, as earthly bread sustains 
the life of the body, so this heavenly Bread 
preserves the life of the soul. 

We know by experience that when the soul 
is a long time without this Divine Food, she 
languishes and easily falls. 

This food is the health of the soul and the 
remedy of all spiritual diseases. By it vices 
are cured, the passions chastened, temptations 
overcome or weakened, greater grace infused, 
virtue augmented, faith confirmed, hope strength- 
ened and charity inflamed and enlarged. 



1 66 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE, 

40. 

SUPPORT OF PASTORS, ETC. 

123. The fifth precept of the Church is : To 
contribute to the support of our pastors. 

We are obliged in conscience, that is bound 
under pain of sin, and by a divine precept, 
to contribute to the support of our pastors and 
of Divine Worship. St. Paul says : " So the 
Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel 
should live by the gospel." (I. Cor. ix. 13.) 

The ministers of religion, devoting themselves 
as they do to the welfare of the souls of the 
faithful, are in justice entitled to support from 
the people they serve. 

Debarred both by the duties of their office 
and the rules of the priesthood from using the 
ordinary means of gaining a livelihood, they have 
a just claim for support on those who accept 
their spiritual ministrations. " The laborer is 
worthy of his hire." (Luke x. 7.) 

124. The sixth precept of the Church is: 
Not to marry persons forbidden by the Church 
or in forbidden times or ways. 

This law forbids the celebration of marriage 
in Lent and Advent with public ceremony in 
Church. The festivities that usually attend 
marriages are out of place during those peni- 



SUPPORT OF PASTORS. l6j 

tential seasons. This subject is fully treated 
under the head of Matrimony. 

125. The precepts of the Church oblige under 
pain of mortal sin. " He that will not hear 
the Church," says Christ, "let him be to thee 
as the heathen and the publican." (Luke x. 16.) 

A publican, that is, a collector of the public 
taxes imposed by Rome, was regarded by the 
Jews as generally extortionate and unjust, and 
hence detested. 

It is always a sin wilfully to disobey the 
Church, and a mortal sin if it be done in a 
grave matter, or out of contempt. The Council 
of Trent pronounces anathema upon all those 
who teach the contrary. 

From the words of Christ : " He that heareth 
you, heareth me ; and he that despiseth you, 
despiseth rne," (Luke x. 16.) it is clear that 
the pastors of the Church are the ministers of 
Christ, teach with His authority, and make 
known His will. 

The grace of God, which is obtained chiefly 
by prayer and the sacraments, is necessary to 
keep the commandments of God and of his 
Church. 



PART III. 

THE MEANS OF SALVATION. 



1. 

GRACE. 

i . Grace is a supernatural gift freely bestowed 
on us by God for our eternal salvation. It is a 
favor to which by nature, we have no claim. It 
is a gift of the supernatural order freely granted 
to man out of the gracious bounty of God. It 
is either sanctifying or actual. 

2. Sanctifying grace is a divine gift infused 
into the soul and abiding therein as a habit, 
whereby we are justified and made holy and 
pleasing in the sight of God. 

The guilt of sin and sanctifying grace cannot 
abide in the soul at the same time. 

Sanctifying grace is the supernatural life of 
the soul. By it we share in the merits of Christ 
and become like unto God. By it we are freed 
from sin and become His adopted children, 
heirs of heaven and co-heirs with Christ. This 
grace is received in Baptism and other sacra- 
ments. The soul in a state of grace enjoys the 
love of God and can do works that merit 
heaven. 

168 



THE MEANS OF SALVATION. 1 69 

3. Actual grace is that gift of God that helps 
us to do good and avoid sin. 

It is called actual because it is the active in- 
fluence of the Holy Spirit enlightening the mind 
and moving the will to each good deed. 

4. Grace is absolutely necessary to enable us 
to act in the supernatural order. Without Grace 
we can do nothing towards meriting Heaven. 
"Without me," says Christ, "you can do noth- 
ing." (John xv. 5.) We can neither begin, 
continue, nor complete any good work in the 
way of salvation without God's grace. " For it 
is God that worketh in you both to will and to 
accomplish." (Phil. ii. 13.) "By grace you are 
saved through faith." ( Eph. ii. 8.) 

Our ultimate end being in the supernatural 
order we cannot attain it by our natural pow r ers 
only. (II. Orange Can. 7.) 

5. Our conduct in the purely natural order 
may be morally good without the aid of grace 
and merit a temporal reward, The observance 
of the natural law prepares us for the advent of 
divine grace. 

It is grace alone that enables us to do works 
that deserve a heavenly reward in the sight 
of God. 

6. Merit is the fruit of grace and good works. 
This fruit becomes ours when our works are 
done in a state of grace and from a supernatural 



I70 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

motive. Good works derive their supernatural 
value from the merits of Christ to whom we are 
joined as living members by sanctifying grace. 
" I am the vine, you the branches ; he that 
abideth in me and I in him, the same beareth 
much fruit." (John xv. 5.) Even the just man 
needs God's grace to ensure his perseverance in 
virtue, and no man without the help of a special 
grace can continue sinless throughout his whole 
life or practise all the Christian virtues. 

7. By the help of divine grace we can do all 
that is necessary for our salvation. " I can do 
all things in Him who strengtheneth me." ( Phil, 
iv. 13.) God gives to all men grace sufficient 
for their salvation. Not all, however, are saved, 
because some, by their own fault, harden their 
hearts and fail to cooperate with the graces they 
receive. 

The freedom of the human will is not taken 
away by grace- and, therefore, man in the exer- 
cise of free will may choose to sin rather than 
to obey the moral law and thus perversely make 
of no effect the grace of God. ( Trent : Sess. vi. 
Can. 4.) 

8, We ought to pray daily to God to give 
us His grace and take care not to close our 
hearts to it when it is offered. 

"Behold," says Christ, "I stand at the gate 
and knock." (Apos. iii. 20.) 



PRAYER. I7 r 

It is a great evil not to use grace or to abuse 
it. Not to know the time of the divine visita- 
tion is a great calamity. (Luke xix. 22.) 

He who dies in sanctifying grace is saved, 
he who dies while out of the state of grace is 
lost forever. 

2. 

PRAYER. 

9. Prayer is the most ordinary means of 
grace and is within the reach of all, at all times. 
Prayer is a religious act by which with heart and 
mind we do homage to God. It is an act of 
humility. 

It is the turning of the soul to God in adora- 
tion, praise, petition, or thanksgiving. In prayer 
we lift up our hearts and minds to God, either 
to worship Him, ask forgiveness of sin, beg His 
grace, or thank Him for His mercies. 

Mind and heart must piously unite in atten- 
tion and devotion to make a true prayer. 

10. Mental prayer is that which is made in 
the mind without formal language, while vocal 
prayer expresses itself in words. Those who 
merely say vocal prayers without raising their 
minds and hearts to God deserve the reproach 
of our Lord : " These people honor Me with 
their lips while their heart is far from Me." 
(Matt. xv. 8.) 



172 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

11. In prayer we adore God as our Sovereign 
Lord and the Supreme Good, we bless His holy 
name and praise Him for His glory and benefi- 
cence. We thank Him for all the benefits He 
has conferred on us, and ask Him for further 
graces so that we may lead virtuous lives and 
save our souls. Prayer augments all the virtues. 

The angels taught us to glorify God in these 
words : " Glory be to God on high, and on earth 
peace to men of good-will." To the angels' 
hymn the Church has added : " We praise Thee, 
we bless Thee, we adore Thee, we glorify Thee, 
we give Thee thanks for thy great glory." 

We should also pray to God for what is 
necessary for the welfare of the body. 

12. Prayer is the communing of the soul with 
God. It purifies our thoughts and sanctifies our 
purposes ; it fortifies our good resolutions, gives 
us courage to do our duty, enlightens the mind, 
consoles the afflicted spirit, and draws us away 
from a too great love of worldly things. 

Our Lord wishes us to pray for what we need, 
and He graciously invites us to do so in these 
words : " Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, 
and you shall find ; knock, and it shall be 
opened to you. For every one that asketh, 
receiveth ; and he that seeketh, findeth ; and to 
him that knocketh, it shall be opened." (Matt, 
vii. 7, 8.) 



PRAYER. 173 

Christ Himself says, "We ought always to 
pray." (Luke xviii. 1.) 

13. Prayer is necessary for our sanctification. 
As prayer is the ordinary means of grace, and 
without grace we cannot save our souls, it is 
evident that prayer is necessary. It is also a 
duty imposed on us by the command of our 
Lord Himself. (Luke xviii. 1.) 

By offering all our thoughts, words and 
actions to God every morning, we can make 
our lives a continual prayer. There are times 
and occasions when special and formal prayer 
is a Christian duty. Sundays and Holydays are 
such times. When tempted to sin or when pre- 
paring for the Sacraments, we should be instant 
in prayer. It is the custom of all good Christians 
to pray morning and evening, and before and 
after meals. 

By keeping ourselves in the state of grace, 
and having a pure intention of pleasing God 
in all we do, we can be said always to pray ; 
because our actions, thus purified, merit an 
increase of sanctifying grace. This is due to 
the value our good works acquire from the 
merits of Jesus Christ, to whom we are united 
by grace. "He that abideth in Me, and I in 
him, the same beareth much fruit." (John xv. 5.) 

Hence our ordinary actions, performed in the 
state of grace, and with the view of pleasing God, 



174 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

become a kind of prayer. " Therefore," says the 
Apostle, " whether you eat or drink, or whatso- 
ever else you do, do all things for the glory of 
God." (I. Cor. x. 31.) 

3. 

PRAYER A DUTY. 

14. It is the duty of all to pray to God from 
time to time. God has willed that we should 
pray, and we need the graces obtainable by 
prayer to enable us to observe the moral law. 
Prolonged neglect of this duty is certainly a 
grave sin. Without prayer it is impossible to 
continue long in a state of grace or to be pleas- 
ing to God. 

Prayer, on the other hand, is so powerful 
with God that it is sometimes called the key of 
heaven. " Ask and you shall receive," says 
Christ, " that your joy may be full." (John xvi. 
24.) 

15. Christ taught us the duty of prayer by 
word and example. Thus we read that Jesus 
"rising very early, going out he went into a 
desert place, and there He prayed : " and again, 
" He went out into a mountain to pray ; and He 
passed the whole night in the prayer of God." 
(Mark i. 35 ; Luke vi. 12.) 

The servants of God were all men of prayer, 
Ezechias prayed on his bed of sickness ; Jeremias, 
in prison ; Daniel, in the lions' den ; the three 



QUALITIES OF PRAYER. 1 75 

youths, in the fiery furnace ; Stephen, while 
being stoned to death ; Paul and Silas, in chains ; 
the martyrs, at the stake, and the saints, under 
all their trials and afflictions. 



QUALITIES OF PRAYER. 

1 6. Our prayers should be earnest, hopeful 
and humble. All worldly cares should be ex- 
cluded from our minds while engaged in prayer, 
and our thoughts, as far as possible, should be 
kept from wandering. 

Perfect resignation to the will of God is a 
most excellent quality of prayer. " Not my will, 
O Lord, but Thine be done." (Matt. xxvi. 39.) 
Apparent failure in prayer should not discourage 
us, and we should return again and again to the 
throne of divine grace. We should pray with 
confidence, fervor and perseverance. 

17. We should pray in all dangers, whether 
of body or soul, that God may mercifully deliver 
us from them ; in all temptations, that we may 
obtain strength to resist them ; and in all our 
afflictions, that we may be enabled to bear them 
patiently. Holy Job bore his many and great 
afflictions with admirable patience, and said, 
¥ The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away : as 
it hath pleased the Lord, so is it done : blessed 
be the name of the Lord," (Job i. 21.) 



I76 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Fervent prayer in time of temptation keeps 
the heart true to God and duty, and saves us 
from yielding to sin. 

We should pray with all possible attention 
and devotion, and in general on bended knees. 

Attention is the act of the will fixing the mind 
on anything. 

We are to note in our mind the sense of the 
words we use, say them reverently, and direct 
them to God. 

18. Devout prayers are those that proceed 
from a pious soul, and are said with that seri- 
ousness and reverence which are due to the 
Supreme Majesty of God. Although kneeling 
is the proper posture in prayer, it is lawful to 
pray in any other attitude. 

Our prayers should be offered, after the 
example of the Church, in the name of Jesus 
Christ. When we pray for pardon of sin, we 
should do so with humble and contrite hearts ; 
as without sorrow for sin, pardon cannot be 
obtained. " A sacrifice to God is an afflicted 
spirit : a contrite and humble heart, O God, 
Thou wilt not despise." (Ps. 1. 18.) 

19. Public prayer, said by many in common, 
is specially blessed. " Where two or three are 
gathered together in My name/' says Christ, " I 
am in the midst of them." (Matt, xviii. 20.) 

The most suitable place for public prayer is 



QUALITIES OF PRAYER. IJJ 

the Church, the house of God, which is truly the 
house of prayer. Family prayer is also most 
pleasing to God, and never fails of divine favor. 

20. Answer to prayer depends very much on 
the fervor of our hearts and the earnestness of 
our desire. " Blessed are they that hunger and 
thirst after justice ; for they shall be filled." 
(Matt. v. 6.) 

Confidence and perseverance are conditions 
of efficacious prayer, which we should labor to 
fulfil. 

" All things whatsoever you ask when ye pray, 
believe that you shall receive, and they shall 
come unto you." ( Mark xi. 24.) 

We may pray with confidence, because God 
can give us all that is for our good, and because 
we rely on the promises of Christ. " Amen, 
amen I say to you, if you ask the Father any- 
thing in my name, he will give it to you." (John 
xvi. 23.) 

21. If we do not always obtain what we ask, 
it is either because we do not pray aright, or 
have not persevered long enough in our petition. 
It happens sometimes that God, knowing what 
is best for us, gives us one favor instead of 
another asked for. 

It is lawful to pray for temporal blessings, 
such as health, good crops, profitable labor, etc., 
but the end in view should be good. 



178 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

22. We should pray for the living and for de 
parted souls. While we are bound, in a special 
manner, to pray for our relations, friends, and 
benefactors, we must not exclude even our ene- 
mies. The Church and her head, our country 
and her rulers, peace among nations, the spread 
of the true faith, the conversion of sinners, are 
objects worthy of our prayers. 

23. Few can avoid all distractions in prayer. 
If our distractions are wilful, our prayers, instead 
of pleasing God, offend him. ( Matt, xv.) 

Those who in prayer wilfully neglect to think 
of God and of what they say, cannot expect that 
God will hear their prayers. How can you expect 
that God will hear you, when you do not hear 
yourself ? " Beware of doing the work of the 
Lord negligently. " ( Jer. xxxi. 10.) 

To avoid distractions we should place our- 
selves in the presence of God, dismiss all 
worldly cares, and recall our mind from its wan- 
derings as soon as we notice the distraction. 

5. 

APPROVED PRAYERS. 

24. The prayers most recommended to us are, 
the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary, the Apostles 
Creed, the Connteor, and the Act of Contrition, 

The Lord's Prayer is recommended because 
it is the best of all prayers, having been taught 



APPROVED PRAYERS. 179 

oy our Lord Himself to His disciples. Moreover, 
it includes all we need pray for, both for soul 
and body, for time and eternity. 

25. The Church directs us to make acts of 
faith, hope and charity, because these are the 
chief acts of religion. They remind us also of 
our chief duties to God and our neighbor. 

Our chief duties to God are to believe in Him, 
to hope in Him and to love Him. 

We are to believe in Him because God is truth 
itself, and His teachings must be infallibly true. 
We are to hope in Him, because He is infinitely 
good, merciful, and powerful, and is most faith- 
ful to His promises. We are to love Him, because 
He is infinitely good and most worthy of our love, 
and also because He loves us, and has com- 
manded us to love Him with our whole heart and 
with our whole soul. (I. John iv. 19.) 

He will reward our faith by the blissful sight 
of Himself in heaven, our hope, by everlasting 
beatitude, and our charity, by His never-ending 
love. 

26. We make an act of contrition in order to 
obtain pardon of our sins and thereby render 
our prayers more acceptable to God, and more 
beneficial to ourselves. 

Prayer is the safeguard of all states of life, 
the great consoler of sorrow, the nurture of faith, 
the soul of piety, and a source of grace. 



l8o CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

6. 

THE LORD'S PRAYER. 

27. Our Lord Jesus Christ made the prayer 
beginning, "Our Father" (Matt. vi. 9, 10), and 
it is therefore called the Lord's Prayer. 

No form of prayer can be so perfect or so 
pleasing to our Heavenly Father, as that given 
us by His Beloved Son, who Himself helps us 
to pray, and through whom alone our prayers 
can be acceptable to God. 

28. The Scriptures describe the origin of our 
Lord's Prayer as follows : " And it came to pass 
that as He was praying in a certain place, when 
He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him : 
Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his 
disciples." (Luke xi. 1.) Accordingly, as we 
read in St. Matthew, after our Lord had ex- 
plained how, and with what dispositions, we 
should pray, He said: " You, therefore, shall pray 
in this manner : Our Father," etc. ( Matt. vi. 9.) 

29. The Lord's Prayer consists of a filial 
address, and seven petitions. In the opening 
words we address our Father Who is in heaven. 
If we fully enter into the meaning of these words, 
our hearts will be moved with the true spirit of 
prayer. 



THE LORDS PRAYER. l8l 

We call God our Father because He is the 
common Father of all; and -hence we say our, 
and not my, Father. 

This we do because it is our duty to pray for 
others as well as for ourselves. 

Our Lord has taught us to call God our 
Father in order to awaken in us filial love and 
trust in him. 

30. To inspire us with trust and hope in prayer, 
our Lord says : " What man is there among you, 
who, if his son ask bread, will reach him a stone ? 
Or, if he ask a fish, will reach him a serpent ? 
If you, then, being evil, know how to give good 
gifts to your children, how much more will your 
Father who is in heaven, give gcod things to 
them that ask him ? " ( Matt. vii. 9, 10, 11.) 

God is our Father by creation : " Have we not 
all one Father ? Hath not one God created us ? " 
(Mai. ii. 10.) He is also our Father by adop- 
tion ; for in holy Baptism we were made children 
of God. " You have received the spirit of adop- 
tion of sons," says St. Paul, "whereby we cry, 
Abba ( Father). For the Spirit Himself giveth 
testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of 
God." (Rom. viii. 15, 16.) 

31. We say, Who art in heaven, to remind us, 
that though God is everywhere, heaven is the 
throne of His glory, and it is there he manifests 
Himself to the saints and angels. In this life 



l82 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

we know God as men see " through a glass 
darkly" (I. Cor. xiii. 12), as St. Paul says. In 
heaven we shall see God, as it were, face to face. 
Heaven is our home, and we are only pilgrims 
on earth. We must direct our thoughts heaven- 
ward in order to pray properly. 

32. In saying, hallowed be thy name, we beg 
that God's name may be praised and glorified 
by all his creatures. 

In these words we pray that God may be 
revered and hcnored by us and by all men ; 
and that his holy name may never be profaned. 

This petition comes first, because the honor 
and glory of God should be the first desire of 
all His creatures. As the glory of God is ad- 
vanced by the spread of the true faith, and the 
knowledge of the Gospel, this petition includes 
a prayer for the conversion of all outside the 
fold of the true Church. 

33. The second petition of the Lord's Prayer 
is : Thy kingdom come. 

In these words we pray that God may reign 
in our hearts by His grace in this life, and that 
we may reign forever with Him in the next. 

The kingdom of God is twofold ; that by 
which He reigns by grace in the hearts of the 
faithful on earth, and that of His glory which 
He has prepared for us in heaven. 

34. The third petition is : Thy will be done 
on earth as it is in heaven. 



THE LORD'S PRAYER. 1 83 

As our Saviour has said : " Not every one 
that saith to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into 
the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doth the 
will of My Father Who is in heaven, he shall 
enter into the kingdom of heaven " (Matt. vii. 
21), so the prayer of all who desire to enter into 
the kingdom of heaven should be, that His will 
be done. 

In these words we pray that the holy will of 
God should prevail among men, and ask for 
grace to do His will in all things as the angels 
and saints do it in heaven. The will of God is 
that we should keep His commandments, lead 
holy lives, use the graces He gives. us, endure 
patiently the ills of this life, and resign ourselves 
to His will in times of sickness, loss of friends 
or property. "Seek first the Kingdom of God 
and His justice." (Luke xii. 31.) 

35. The fourth petition is: Give us this day 
our daily bread. 

In these words we pray for whatever is need- 
ful for soul and body. We pray not for ourselves 
alone, but for all others, as we are all members 
of one family. Christ here teaches us to ask for 
what our needs for the day require, to remind us 
that we should pray daily to God and dismiss all 
undue care for the future, or the desire of heap- 
ing up riches. 

The spiritual bread which is the food of the 



1 84 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

soul, is the living bread that came down from 
heaven, our Lord in the Holy Eucharist. The 
word of God and divine grace are also daily 
needs of the soul which we pray for. " Man 
liveth not by bread alone, but by every word 
that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." 
(Matt. iv. 4.) 

We pray also for what is needed for the life 
and health of the body, the ordinary necessaries 
of life. 

7. 

FORGIVENESS OF INJURIES. 

36. When we say forgive us our trespasses as 
we forgive them who trespass against us, we beg 
that God would forgive us our offences, as we 
forgive those who offend us. 

Our trespasses include all breaches of the 
laws of morality, all offences against God, and 
all injuries to others. 

In the Lord's Prayer, as given in St. Luke's 
Gospel, the word sins is used instead of tres- 
passes (Luke xi. 4.) ; and in St. Matthew's it is 
debts (Matt. vi. 12.}; because every one who 
sins offends God, becomes guilty before Him, 
and incurs a debt of punishment. 

37. In this petition we ask the grace 9f a 
sincere repentance, and the pardon of our sins, 
and that the same measure of leniency which we 



FORGIVENESS OF INJURIES. 1 85 

give to others should be given to us. This does 
not mean that we can be as charitable and mer- 
ciful to others as we need that God should be 
towards us, but that as far as human weakness 
will allow, we are willing to imitate the example 
of Christ in forgiving enemies. 

God will show no mercy to us unless we for- 
give from our hearts our enemies, and all those 
who have offended or injured us. " But if you 
will not forgive men, neither will your Father 
forgive you your sins." (Matt. vi. 15.) From 
this we learn that mercy to others is a condition 
of mercy to ourselves. 

True forgiveness is proved not so much by 
our feelings, as by our words and actions. When 
we speak and act as kindly towards our enemies 
as we did before they offended us, and cherish 
no desire of revenge, we may be truly said to for- 
give them. 

38. The sixth petition is : Lead us not into 
temptation. 

In these words we pray that God would avert 
from us all temptations, or give us strength to 
resist them. 

A temptation is a trial of our virtue, anything 
that incites us to commit sin. As our life is one 
continual test of our fidelity to God, we cannot 
hope to be free from temptation. 

We should not heedlessly expose ourselves to 



1 86 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

temptations that can be avoided, and when 
unavoidable we must have recourse to prayer. 

Temptation is not in itself a sin. Christ was 
tempted and remained sinless. What we pray for 
is the grace not to yield to temptation. " Watch 
and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." 
(Matt. xxvi. 41.) 

We are tempted by our own passions or con- 
cupiscence ; " for the flesh lusteth against the 
spirit." We are tempted by the world, that is to 
say, by its allurements and pleasures, bad ex- 
amples and wicked maxims ; and by the devil, 
" who, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking 
whom he may devour." (Gal. v. 17 ; I. Peter, v. 8.) 

39. Gcd allows us to be tempted to humble 
us, to try our fidelity, or to punish our unfaith- 
fulness. Battling with temptations increases 
our zeal for virtue, and augments our merits. 
" Blessed is the man that endureth temptation ; 
for when he hath been proved, he shall receive 
the crown of life." (Jas. i. 12.) 

God never permits us to be tempted beyond 
our strength ; " God is faithful, who will not 
suffer you to be tempted above that which you 
are able." (I. Cor. x. 13.) It is our own fault 
if we are ever overcome by temptation. 

We must be careful not to dally with tempta- 
tion, but turn our mind away from it at once, 
reject it promptly, and strengthen ourselves by 



FORGIVENESS OF INJURIES. I 87 

recalling the religious motives that tend to keep 
us faithful in the service of God. " Remember 
thy last end and thou shalt never sin." (Ecclus. 
vii. 40.) 

40. The seventh and last petition is : But 
deliver us from evil. 

In these words we pray that God would free 
us, in body and soul, from all evil, particularly 
that of sin. 

The evil of the soul is sin, the greatest of all 
evils, and the source of all other evils. 

Next to sin the greatest evil is the loss of our 
immortal souls. 

We may ask to be delivered from bodily evils, 
such as sickness, poverty and pain, in so far as 
freedom from them may help us to advance in 
virtue and save our souls. 

41. We conclude the Lord's Prayer with the 
word Amen, to express our ardent desire and 
hope of being heard. 

Amen means so be it, that is, may it be done ; 
may all our prayers be granted. 

The " Amen " is itself a prayer ; it is, in fact, 
the whole prayer expressed in one word. It 
should be said with great fervor and earnestness, 
in order to make up for any want of devotion 
in saying the prayer itself. 

The Lord's Prayer is sometimes called "a 
master key " with which we may unlock the 



I 88 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

gates of heaven. We should regard this divine 
prayer as a chief means of grace, and frequently 
avail ourselves of it. 

8- 

THE HAIL MARY. 

42. The second prayer recommended by the 
Church is the Hail Mary. It is said in honor 
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and to invoke her 
intercession with her Divine Son. 

The first part is a salutation in praise of the 
Mother of God ; the second is a petition. 

The Archangel Gabriel saluted the Blessed 
Virgin in the words, " Hail, full of grace, the 
Lord is with thee ; blessed art thou among 
women," (Luke i. 28.); and St. Elizabeth, in- 
spired by the Holy Ghost, said to her, " Blessed 
art thou among women ; and blessed is the fruit 
of thy womb." (Luke i. 42.) 

" Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sin- 
ners now and at the hour of our death " are the 
words of the Church forming the second part of 
the " Hail Mary." 

The Church added the name Mary to the 
angel's salutation, and the name Jesus to the 
words which St. Elizabeth addressed to the 
Blessed Virgin. St. Luke tells us that " the Vir- 
gin's name was Mary" and further, that the 
angel said to her " thou shalt bring forth a Son, 



THE HAIL MARY. 1 89 

and thou shalt call His name Jesus." ( Luke i. 
27.31-) 

43. It is lawful to honor the Blessed Virgin, 
since God Himself so much honored her, and 
she herself says : "All generations shall call me 
blessed." ( Luke i. 48.) 

God honored our Blessed Lady, by making 
her the mother of His only begotten Son ; by 
saving her, in her very conception, from the stain 
of original sin ; and by enriching her soul with 
His most precious graces. And Jesus Christ, 
our Lord and Saviour, not only honored, but 
even obeyed her. (Luke ii. 51.) 

The words " All generations shall call me 
blessed," are a prophecy of that honor which 
the Church in all ages pays to the Blessed Vir- 
gin. This prophecy was uttered by the Blessed 
Virgin Mary herself under the inspiration of the 
Holy Ghost, in the sublime canticle she pro- 
nounced on her visit to her cousin St. Elizabeth. 
(Luke i. 46.) 

We honor our Blessed Lady more than all the 
other saints, because she is the Mother of God, 
but we never give her divine or supreme honor, 
which is due to God alone. 

Our Blessed Lady excels all the other saints, 
not only in the dignity of her office, but also in 
grace and glory. She is therefore entitled to a 
higher degree of honor, respect and esteem than 



I9O CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

any of the blessed, whether saints or angels. 
Hence the Church styles her Queen of angels, 
and Queen of all saints. 

44. The Blessed Virgin Mary is truly the 
Mother of God, because the same Divine Person 
Who is the Son of God, is also the Son of the 
Blessed Virgin Mary. Revering the dignity of 
this divine maternity, St. Elizabeth in rapture 
cried out, "Whence is this to me, that the 
Mother of my Lord should come to me ? " (Luke 

i- 430 

In saying the Hail Mary we honor the mys- 
tery of the Incarnation, which that prayer indi- 
cates, and show our great respect and devotion 
to the Mother of God, and our special confidence 
in her intercession, particularly at the hour of 
death. 

The Hail Mary recalls the mystery of the 
Incarnation, because we have in it the Arch- 
angel Gabriel's announcement of that sublime 
event ; the inspired testimony of St. Elizabeth 
to the fact of the Incarnation ; and the solemn 
declaration s of the Church that Mary is the 
Mother of the Son of God. 

9. 

THE ANGELUS AND ROSARY. 

45. The Angelus is a form of prayer in daily 
use, and is a brief history of the Incarnation. 



THE ANGELUS AND ROSARY. I9I 

It consists of three sentences, taken chiefly from 
Holy Writ. After each of these sentences a 
Hail Mary is said in honor and praise of that 
great mystery. It ends with a prayer which 
reminds us of the Incarnation, Passion and 
Resurrection of our Saviour. The Angelus is 
said as follows : " The angel of the Lord declared 
unto Mary. And she conceived of the Holy 
Ghost." Hail Mary, etc. " Behold the handmaid 
of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to 
thy word." Hail Mary, etc. " And the word was 
made flesh, and dwelt among us." Hail Mary, 
etc. Ending with a prayer. 

The Angelus may be said in- the evening, in 
memory of the Incarnation ; in the morning, 
in memory of the Resurrection ; and at noon ? 
in memory of the Passion. 

46. The Rosary is that form of prayer in 
which meditation on the great truths of religion 
and vocal prayer are best combined. In it the 
Hail Mary is repeated many times. 

The Rosary is a form of devotion in which the 
faithful honor our Holy Redeemer, by recalling 
the chief mysteries of His life and of that of 
His Blessed Mother. 

The Rosary is an abridgment of the Gospel, 
a short history of the life, sufferings and victory 
of Jesus Christ, and a memorial of what he did 
on earth for our redemption. 



192 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

There are fifteen of these mysteries, and each 
of them is followed by the Lord's Prayer and 
ten recitations of the Hail Mary. 

Each of the fifteen decades of the Rosary is 
concluded with the Doxology, " Glory be to the 
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost," 
etc., an act of adoration of the Holy Trinity. 

47. It is divided into three parts of five 
decades each. It is usual to say only one part 
at a time. 

The Hail Mary is repeated so often in the 
Rosary, because it recalls and honors the mystery 
of the Incarnation, the germ of our sanctification. 

We repeat the Hail Mary in order that by our 
Blessed Lady's intercession, we may more easily 
obtain what we ask for in the Lord's Prayer. 

After having petitioned the Lord Himself, we 
ask the Queen of Heaven to obtain from the 
Divine Majesty a favorable answer to our prayers. 

48. The scapular is a badge of devotion to 
the Blessed Virgin Mary. By wearing the scap- 
ular the faithful become in a special manner 
clients of the Blessed Virgin, and thus appeal to 
her for protection. 

In the Litany of Loretto, the Blessed Virgin 
Mary is addressed by beautiful and significant 
titles, many of them taken from Holy Writ, such 
as Morning Star, Ark of the Covenant, Gate of 
Heaven, Tower of David, etc. 



SACRIFICE. 193 

10. 

SACRIFICE. 

49. To sacrifice, in its literal sense, is to make 
sacred, to devote to holy uses, or to offer some- 
thing to God as an act of worship. 

" I beseech you, brethren, that you present 
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable 
to God." (Rom. xii. 1.) 

To immolate means to slay a victim offered 
to God in recognition of the fact that He is 
Lord of life and death. 

In a pious sense a sacrifice is the surrender 
to God or to religion or to the poor for God's 
sake, of something that is valuable or dear to us. 

All are bound to make sacrifices of this kind. 
In some cases, such as the relief of the poor or 
the support of the Church, this obligation is one 
of precept. 

When a sacrifice is intended to be an act of 
public worship, the offering, to be pleasing to 
God, must be made by a person duly ordained 
for that purpose by the religious authorities. 

50. A sacrifice is that first and most necessary- 
act of religion, whereby we acknowledge God's 
supreme dominion over us, our total dependence 
on Him, and seek to propitiate Him for our sins. 

Sacrifice always entered into man's relation to 



194 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

God, as being the chief mode of worship, the 
most solemn act of religion. 

Before the coming of Christ men sacrificed 
the lives of animals in recognition of the fact 
that by sin they themselves had forfeited life, 
and also to acknowledge that their Creator, 
to Whom they made the offering, was their 
Sovereign Lord and Master. 

The Lord made known to them that these 
sacrifices were pleasing to Him on this account, 
and also as prefiguring the coming sacrifice of 
His only Son. Hence, we find that sacrifices 
were offered by Abel, Noah, Melchisedech, 
Abraham and his descendants the Hebrews. 

51. Even Pagan nations have, in a perverted 
form, retained this primitive custom, as is evident 
from their temples, altars and sacrifices. 

Moses, under the guidance of Jehovah, pre- 
scribed for the Israelites various forms of sacri- 
fice, and a most elaborate ritual of divine worship 
in which sacrifice was the essential element. 
Hence, the holocaust, the thanksgiving, the sin 
offering, and the peace offering. 

52. Sacrifice, in the liturgical sense, is the 
offering to God by a priest of some tangible thing, 
by the destruction or change of which, His sov- 
ereign dominion over us is signified, and supreme 
worship rendered to the Divine Majesty. 

Sacrifice is offered to God alone. " He that 



THE MASS. 195 

sacrificeth to gods, save only to the Lord, shall 
be put to death." (Exod. xxii. 20.) By this act 
of adoration we acknowledge that God is our 
Creator, and that our life and all that belongs 
to us are in His hands. We also in this manner 
confess that He is our Sovereign Lord, and that 
we owe Him the highest homage and the 
humblest obedience. 

A commemoration of the saints is made in the 
Mass, but the sacrifice is offered to God alone. 
The saints are thus recalled to mind for the 
purpose of honoring them and thanking God for 
the grace and glory He has bestowed on them. 
The occasion is also most suitable for asking 
their prayers and begging them to intercede for 
us at the throne of mercy. 

Sacrifice is the most perfect mode of divine 
worship, and therefore is an essential part of the 
Christian religion. 

11. 

THE MASS. 

53. The Mass is the sacrifice of the body and 
blood of Christ, offered to God by the priest, 
under the appearance of bread and wine, as an 
act of worship. 

Christ instituted the sacrifice now daily offered 
on our altars, and known as the Holy Sacrifice 
of the Mass. The Mass is, therefore, the Sacri- 



I96 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

fice of the New Law, and the Catholic mode of 
public worship. 

The Mass is the renewal in an unbloody man- 
ner of the sacrifice Christ made on the Cross. 
It is offered by the priest on behalf of the living 
and the dead. (Trent. Sess. xxii. 2.) 

54. It was instituted at the Last Supper when 
Christ, blessing and giving thanks, offered Him- 
self to His Heavenly Father under the species 
of bread and wine. The sacrifice of the Cross 
is renewed in the Mass. When Christ said to His 
Apostles, " Do this for a commemoration of Me " 
(Luke xxii. 19), He made this form of sacrifice 
perpetual. In these words Christ gave to the 
priests of His Church forever the power to 
change bread and wine into His body and blood 
in the celebration of the Mass. Bishops and 
priests are the only persons to whom this power 
is given. They alone are the dispensers of the 
mysteries of God. (I. Cor. iv. 1.) 

55. The special character of the priesthood 
is chiefly shown in the exercise of this power of 
consecrating and offering up the Holy Eucharist 
as the great sacrifice of the New Law. This is 
the greatest power ever given to any creature. 
To none of the angels was such power given. 

He gave to His priests this great power that 
His children, throughout all ages and nations, 



THE MASS A SACRIFICE. 1 97 

might fittingly worship Him, and have this most 
precious food to nourish their souls. 

56. We see in this the fulfilment of the re- 
markable prophecy of Malachias, namely, that 
" From the rising of the sun even to the going 
down, my name is great among the Gentiles, and 
in every place there is sacrifice, and there is 
offered to my name a clean oblation ; for my 
name is great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord 
of hosts." (Mai. i. n.) 

The clean oblation foretold by the prophet is 
the eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass. 

In the Eastern churches the Mass is called 
the Liturgy, that is the public service of God- 
Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist to be a 
perpetual memorial of His passion and death, 
and also that the faithful to the end of time 
should have a suitable sacrifice by which to pay 
to God the supreme homage and adoration which 
is due from the creature to the Creator. 

It is by means of this daily sacrifice that the 
fruits of redemption effected by Christ's passion 
are specially applied to our souls. 

13. 

THE MASS A SACRIFICE. 

57. The Mass is a true Sacrifice, because it 
has all the essentials of a Sacrifice, viz., the priest, 
the victim and the oblation to God, together with 



I98 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

the intention of paying Him supreme homage, 
signified by the ceremony. Besides, the Mass 
is the same sacrifice as that of the Cross, differ- 
ing from it only in manner. (Trent. Sess. xxii. 1.) 

On our altars we have the same victim, Jesus 
Christ, Who continues to offer Himself, by the 
hands of His priests, to His Heavenly Father, 
as He once offered Himself on the Cross. 

"We have an altar whereof they who serve 
the tabernacle have no power to eat." (Heb. 
xiii. 10.) "You cannot be partakers of the table 
of the Lord and of the table of devils." (I. Cor. 
x. 20.) The altar or table here mentioned by 
St. Paul is the Christian altar contrasted with 
that of the Jews and with pagan altars. An 
altar implies a sacrifice. " In every place there 
is offered to my name a clean oblation." (Mal- 
achi. i. 11.) 

13. 

TYPES OF THE MASS. 

58. The sacrifices of the Old Law were types 
or figures of the Sacrifice of the Cross and of the 
Mass. When animals were slain on the Jewish 
altar they were typical of Christ, a bleeding and 
dying Victim on the Cross. When the fruits of 
the earth were offered, they prefigured the Sac- 
rifice of Christ in the Mass under the species of 
bread and wine. 



THE PARTS OF THE MASS. 1 99 

We have a vivid type of Christ carrying His 
Cross up Mt. Calvary, in the person of Isaac 
ascending the mountain, bearing on his shoulders 
the wood for the altar on which he was to be sac- 
rificed. The paschal lamb was also a figure of 
Christ immolated on the Cross. 

59. The loaves of shewbread, "the most holy 
sacrifice to the Lord," (Liv. xxiv. 9.) and the 
Manna were types of the Eucharistic Bread that 
came down from heaven. The bread and wine 
offered to the Lord by Melchisedech prefigured 
the sacramental species of bread and wine in 
the Mass. (Gen. xiv. 18.) 

We adore Christ the God-man as He is in 
heaven and sacramentally present in the Holy 
Eucharist. 

Christ, the reality, of which these types were 
only the shadow, having come, the sacrifices of 
the Old Law were discontinued. 

14. 

THE PARTS OF THE MASS. 

60. The principal parts of the Mass are the 
Offertory, the Consecration and the Communion. 
The part that precedes the Offertory was called 
the Mass of the Catechumens, because the un- 
baptized converts still under instruction and 
probation were dismissed at the Offertory. 

The change of the substance of the bread and 



200 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

wine into the substance of the body and blood 
of Christ takes place at the Consecration. 

This is the most solemn part of the Mass, and 
the prayers are said in silence. 

The act of Consecration, and the priest's 
Communion in which the sacred species are con- 
sumed, are the most essential parts of the Mass. 

61. The Consecration is effected by the priest 
acting in his sacerdotal character in the name 
of Christ and using His words. In imitation 
of Christ at the Last Supper, he takes bread and 
pronounces over it the formula of consecration ; 
he then takes wine and does the same. The 
words of the formula are the very words of 
Christ Himself. " This is my body. This is 
the chalice of my blood. " (Luke xxii. 19.) 

It is by the power and w T ords of Christ that 
this transubstantiation is made. The priest, rep- 
resenting at this moment the person of Christ, 
pronounces the words and makes the visible 
offering, but the invisible change of substance is 
the work of Christ. 

15. 

THE REAL PRESENCE. 

62. After the Consecration Christ is invisibly 
present on tire altar under the species of bread 
and wine, which remain visible and unchanged. 
The invisible substance alone is changed. 



THE REAL PRESENCE. 201 

Christ is present as a living person under each 
species, hence those who receive only one species 
receive Christ. 

The death of Christ on the Cross is signified 
in the Mass by the two species of bread and 
wine which are consecrated separately, to indi- 
cate the separation of His precious blood from 
His body. Christ once risen from the dead can 
neither suffer nor die any more, and hence the 
sacrifice of the Cross is renewed by the mystical 
representation of His death in the Mass. (Rom. 
vi. 9.) 

63. The two sacrifices differ only in this, that 
in the one Christ actually died, in the other He 
dies mystically, as above explained. In the 
former, Christ Himself was the visible minister ; 
in the latter, the priest acts in His name. 

The sacrifice of the Cross was offered only 
once, the Mass is offered frequently; the one 
atoned for the sins of the world, the other applies 
this atonement to individual souls. 

Through the perpetual sacrifice of the Mass 
" Christ is a priest forever according to the order 
of Melchisedech." (Ps. cix. 4.) 

64. Christ is present in the Holy Eucharist 
whole and entire, body, soul and divinity, as a 
living Person. Christ's presence in the Sacrifice 
of the Mass is miraculous and mysterious. He 
is not present as if confined to a place, since 



202 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

His sacramental presence is wherever the Holy 
Eucharist is. 

The Mass is the most holy, sacred and august 
act of religion. It is the centre of all worship, 
the soul of piety, the heart of devotion and the 
source of abundant graces and spiritual favors. 

65. When our prayers are united with this di- 
vine fountain, our souls overflow with heavenly 
desires, holy thoughts and pious feelings. The 
religious awe inspired by this sublime function 
purifies the heart and lifts up our souls to the 
highest acts of worship. The church, dedicated 
to divine service, is the proper place for the 
celebration of the sacred mysteries. The altar 
is set in the most conspicuous place in the 
church and is the centre to which everything 
else converges. The altar represents Calvary ; 
the crucifix, our Lord dying on the cross. The 
lighted candles signify the light of faith. The 
sacred vestments marked with the cross show 
that the priest acts as the visible minister of 
Christ, Who is the invisible High Priest of the 
sacrifice. The genuflections are acts of adoration 
and homage, and the signs of the cross made 
over the host and chalice repeatedly, remind us 
that the whole value of the Mass is derived from 
the Sacrifice of the Cross. 



THE PURPOSE OF THE MASS. 203 

16. 

FOR WHOM OFFERED. 

66. The sacrifice of the Mass is offered for all 
who are living on earth. This includes good and 
bad, saints and sinners. The saints in heaven 
do not need sacrifice. 

The Mass is also offered for the son Is in pur- 
gatory, and they profit by it. 

" It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray 
for the dead that they may be loosed from their 
sins." (II. Mach.) 

67. That Mass has always been celebrated 
since the time of Christ is evident from the 
testimony of the scripture, the writings of the 
early fathers, constant tradition and the ancient 
liturgies of the Eastern Churches. 

In addition to " showing forth the death of the 
Lord till he come," the Mass is the channel by 
which the merits of Christ's passion are actually 
applied to the Church in general and to each 
individual soul. 

17. 

THE PURPOSE OF THE MASS. 

68. The Mass is celebrated for the purpose 
of rendering supreme worship to God, thanking 
Him for His benefits, and obtaining from Him 



204 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

pardon of sin and all other graces and blessings 
through Jesus Christ. 

In the Mass are fully attained the four great 
ends of Sacrifice, viz : adoration, thanksgiving, 
atonement for sin, and prayer. By this means 
the Church at large and each of the faithful are 
enabled to perform these great acts of religion 
which piety demands of them. The Mass is 
specially a propitiatory sacrifice, and tends to 
gain for us the grace of repentance whereby our 
sins are forgiven. 

The Mass is also a commemoration of the 
passion of our Lord on the Cross. 

" Do this for a remembrance of me." (I. Cor. 
vi.) By this holy mystery we " show the death 
of the Lord till He come " says St. Paul. (I. Cor. 
xi. 26.) 

69. The sacrifice of the Mass produces its 
effects not by virtue of the personal worthiness 
of the priest, but by its own inherent power. 

The efficacy of the prayers at Mass as a means 
of grace is enhanced by the holiness of the 
celebrant and the piety and devotion of those 
who assist therein. The greater the faith and 
fervor of the congregation, the greater will be 
the fruits it will derive from assisting at Mass. 



THE FRUITS OF THE MASS. 205 

18. 

THE FRUITS OF THE MASS. 

70. The efficacy of the Mass considered in 
itself is infinite, but in finite and imperfect beings 
such as we are, the fruits derived are limited by 
our condition, and answer to our greater or less 
devotion. 

The fruits of the Mass are the spiritual favors 
and temporal blessings which we derive from it. 
The forgiveness of venial sins, the grace of 
repentance and the remission of the temporal 
punishment due to sin, are some of the direct 
fruits of the Mass. These are gained by all 
who piously assist at it and by those for whom 
it is specially offered by the priest. 

7 1 . The general fruits of the Mass are shared 
by all the faithful on earth or in purgatory. 

It is offered for the whole church and for 
" those who have gone before us with the sign of 
faith." 

The special fruits of the Mass are gained by 
the celebrant, by all who assist at it in a proper 
manner, and by those for whom it is specially 
offered. 

The priest may offer the Mass for the intention 
of those who engage him to do so, and if the 
usual stipend is given he is bound in justice to 
apply its special fruits in accordance with the 
wishes of the donor. 



206 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

19. 

MANNER OF HEARING MASS. 

72. We should assist at Mass with attention 
and pious recollection, with reverence and de- 
votion. Our attention should be such as to 
enable us to follow the service in a general way. 
Our mind should be devoted to pious thoughts 
and free from voluntary distractions. Our out- 
ward attitude should indicate the reverence and 
piety of our souls. 

We should follow the usage of the congrega- 
tion as to standing, sitting and kneeling. All 
should kneel, at least at the consecration and 
elevation of the Host. 

The best method of assisting at Mass is to 
join with the priest in offering it up for the 
purposes for which it is celebrated, to meditate on 
Christ's sacrifice on the cross, and to communi- 
cate either actually or spiritually. 

73. The ceremonies of the Mass show that the 
Church wishes the people to unite with the priest 
in this solemn act of worship and thus make the 
sacrifice their own. 

In one place the priest says " Pray, brethren, 
that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable 
to God, the Father Almighty," and the people 
respond : " May the Lord receive this sacrifice 
from thy hands, to the praise and glory of His 



MANNER OF HEARING MASS. 207 

own name, and to our benefit and that of all His 
Holy Church." 

74. In order to meditate with ease and profit 
on the sacrifice of the Cross, we may take one 
or more of the five sorrowful mysteries of the 
Rosary, or we may reflect on the events of our 
Lord's passion suggested by the different parts 
of the Mass. At the Elevation we might picture 
to ourselves the awful scene on Mt. Calvary and 
see our Saviour raised aloft on the altar of the 
cross, the blood issuing from His various wounds, 
and His lips breathing prayers for the whole 
world and even for His enemies. 

Bowed in profound humility and devout ador- 
ation we should then pray the Eternal Father to 
pardon all our sins for the sake of His suffering 
Son. Offering Him the precious blood of Jesus, 
we could ask Him for an increase of divine 
charity and true sorrow for our offences, and pray 
for the wants of our holy mother the Church. 

Turning to Jesus Christ, now present on the 
altar, we might implore Him to so dispose us by 
His grace that His precious blood should not 
be shed in vain, but that its infinite merits should 
be applied effectively to our souls. 

75. The reception of Holy Communion during 
Mass unites us more closely with our Lord, and 
enables us to offer ourselves as a part of the 
oblation made by the priest. 



208 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

" And the bread which we break, is it not the 
partaking of the body of the Lord ? For we 
being many, are one bread, one body, all that 
partake of one bread." (I. Cor. x. 17.) 

According to the Didache the Church, the 
mystical body of Christ, is consecrated in the 
Sacrifice of the Mass and made a part of the 
oblation. 

" Come to me all ye that labor and are heavily 
laden and I will refresh you" (Matt. xi. 28.), 
may be regarded as our Lord's gracious invita- 
tion to receive Him in Holy Communion. If we 
cannot communicate in fact we should do so in 
desire at every Mass we attend or whenever we 
visit the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle. 

76. The Mass is of all works the most holy, 
the most divine, the most pleasing to God. It 
beats down most effectually the powers of hell, 
affords the greatest relief to the souls in purga- 
tory, and appeases most efficaciously the anger 
of God against sinners, and brings to men, still 
on earth, the greatest benefits. A single Mass 
is of more value than all the prayers we can 
say, or the good works we can perform. It is 
sufficient to enrich our souls with special graces, 
and even to make us saints if we could fully 
profit by it. 

77. Some derive little or no benefit from as- 
sisting at Mass, because of the faulty manner in 



THE USE OF LATIN. 20$ 

which they do it. There were three classes of 
persons present on Calvary : the scoffers and 
executioners, the idle on-lookers, and the pious 
followers of our Lord. 

In like manner, some attend Mass in mortal 
sin, without a thought of reconciliation with God ; 
some go through curiosity or for display. But 
pious souls attend to draw spiritual nurture from 
this fountain of divine grace and also to dis- 
charge a sacred duty. 



20. 

THE USE OF LATIN. 

78. The Mass is said among us in the Latin 
language. In the various Oriental rites Greek and 
other languages are used. The Western Church 
continues to use the Latin language in the Mass 
chiefly because this was the language of Rome 
where St. Peter established his See. Latin is 
the official language of the Western Church. 

Other reasons are that this secures uniformity 
of rite and tends to preserve unity of doctrine. 

There is a certain dignity, too, in the use of a 
language which has ceased to be the vernacular, 
and is no longer subject to change. Besides, 
the prayers of the Mass are addressed to God 
and not to the people. 

By obliging the clergy to know Latin for the 



2IO CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

proper celebration of Mass, the Church enables 
them to profit by the treasures of learning 
preserved in that language. 

79. As almost all prayer books give transla- 
tions of the Mass in the vulgar tongue, the use 
of Latin by the priest is no inconvenience to the 
faithful. 

Their knowledge of the ceremonies of the 
Mass enables them to follow the priest in the 
different parts of the service, and to join with 
him in offering it for the several ends for which 
it was instituted. 

As the Church is one of unchanging faith, it 
was fitting that the language of her liturgy should 
be unchanging. 

As all living languages are constantly changing 
the vernacular would not secure the necessary 
uniformity, stability and perpetuity. All Eastern 
Churches cling to the language in which their 
liturgies were at first composed, even when the 
language of the common people has become 
quite different. 

31. 

CEREMONIES OF MASS. 

80. The ceremonies of the Mass arise from 
the nature of the Sacrifice. 

The Mass is an action as well as a prayer. 
As a great act of solemn worship it naturally 



CEREMONIES OF MASS. 211 

suggests certain movements on the part of the 
priest which necessarily or conveniently accom- 
pany his acts. These serve to indicate to the 
faithful the different stages of the sacrificial 
rite, and to fix attention and excite devotion, 

81. At the beginning of Mass the Priest in 
confessing himself a sinner, humbly bows his 
head and strikes his breast in sorrow, and thus 
leads the people to do the same. He reads the 
prayers with outstretched hands which is nature's 
gesture of supplication. He reads or entones 
the Gloria in Excelsis standing at the middle of 
the altar in an attitude of praise. 

The Epistle is read at one side of the altar 
and the Gospel on the other, to indicate the 
giving of the Gospel to the gentiles. The 
people stand at the Gospel and Creed indicating 
their faith and their readiness to serve the Lord. 
The genuflection in the Creed is made in honor 
of the incarnation of the Son of God which is 
mentioned therein. The washing of hands is 
expressive of the cleanness of heart with which 
the great act of Consecration is to be approached. 

82. The prayers that immediately precede and 
follow the Consecration are said in silence as the 
awful nature of this mystery suggests. 

The frequent crosses made by the priest are 
so many blessings of the offering made to God 



212 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

and indicate that its merit comes from the 
Crucifixion. 

The kissing of the altar is a pious act of sal- 
utation to Christ, of Whom the altar is a figure, 
and to the sacred relics contained therein. 

The genuflections after the Consecration are 
acts of adoration of our Lord really present at 
that time under the sacramental species. The 
ringing of the bell warns the people to kneel in 
adoration at this part of the Mass. 

The movements from the centre to the side 
of the altar are occasioned by the washing of 
hands or the taking of the wine and water into 
the chalice, and serve to indicate the progress 
of the preparation for the sacrifice or the con- 
clusion of the service. Incense is a symbol of 
prayer. 

All this serves to enable the people to follow 
intelligently the sacrificial rite, to fix their at- 
tention, and arouse pious thoughts and feelings 
in their breasts. 



THE SACRAMENTS. 21 3 

33. 

THE SACRAMENTS. 

83. A sacrament is a sacred rite instituted by 
Christ to convey grace to the soul. 

The word sacrament in its widest sense 
means the symbol of some sacred mystery. Re- 
pealed truths not yet made known to the unbap- 
tized, were, in the early Church, called mysteries. 

The rite by which a person was initiated into 
these mysteries was called a sacrament. 

Participation in these rites imposed certain 
obligations on the faithful. 

84. A sacrament, in a Christian sense, is de- 
fined an effective sign or rite instituted by Christ 
for our sanctification. (Hurter. vol. hi. p. 215.) 
It is the visible sign of the grace conferred by it. 

The Roman Catechism says, " A sacrament 
is something perceptible by some of the senses, 
which, by divine institution, has the power to 
effect the justification and sanctification which 
it signifies." 

The sacraments are therefore, to be regarded 
as true causes of grace. 

Even before the coming of Christ some similar 
rites existed. 

Circumcision among the Jews was probably 
such a rite. 



214 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

The Sacraments of the Old Law were the 
conditions but not the causes of grace and 
prefigured the Sacraments of the New Law. 

The Christian Sacraments have an inherent 
virtue by which, where no obstacle is placed by 
man's free will, the grace that is signified by the 
sacred rite is truly conveyed to the soul. (Trent 
SesSo vii. 5.) 

85. The sacramental rite indicates the kind of 
grace conveyed to the soul. Thus, the pouring 
of water in Baptism indicates the cleansing from 
the guilt of sin effected by that sacrament. 

" Let each of you be baptized in the name of 
Jesus Christ, unto the remission of your sins, 
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. ,, 
(Acts ii. 38.) 

" He who eats this bread will live forever." 
(John vi. 59.) 

" Do not neglect the grace that is given you by 
the imposition of the hands of the priesthood." 
(I. Tim. iv. 14.) 

86. The sacraments, when properly adminis- 
tered, give grace of themselves, that is, their 
effect does not depend on the holiness of the 
minister or the active cooperation of the recipient 
who is previously well disposed. 

They are true and real causes of the graces 
they signify, dependent, however, as to some of 



THE SACRAMENTS. 21 5 

the effects upon the disposition of the recipients. 
Jesus Christ is always the actual and principal, 
though invisible Minister of the sacraments, and 
gives them effect without regard to the worthi- 
ness of the visible agent. 

By the sacraments the merits of Christ's 
passion and death are practically applied to our 
souls, through the ministry of the Church. This 
power the ministers of the Church exercise as 
given to them by Christ, and not as naturally 
belonging to them. It is a delegated, and not a 
native power. 

87. The chief grace given by the sacraments, 
save Order and Matrimony, is sanctifying grace. 

Some of them remove the guilt of sin from the 
soul, and hence are called sacraments of the 
dead, that is, of those who are dead in a spiritual 
sense. The others are called sacraments of the 
living, and can be worthily received only by 
those who are already in a state of grace. These 
latter augment existing grace and add new graces. 

88. For the fruitful reception of the sacra- 
ments we must be in a condition to receive^them 
worthily. The amount of grace that is received 
through the sacraments depends on the good dis- 
positions and cooperation of the recipient. If 
an obstacle existing at the time of the reception 
of a sacrament is afterwards removed, the grace 



2l6 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

of the sacrament revives and has its proper 
effect. Hence persons properly confirmed while 
in a state of sin, are not reconfirmed after their 
repentance. 

Penance and the Holy Eucharist are excep- 
tions to this rule, because a wilful affection for 
mortal sin makes the reception of these sacra- 
ments of no effect. 

89. In addition to habitual grace, each sacra- 
ment gives special actual graces proper to itself. 
These auxiliary graces help us to attain the end 
for which the sacrament was instituted. These 
special graces are not given all at once, but 
from time to time as they are needed. 

23. 

THE SACRAMENTAL CHARACTER. 

90. Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Order 
imprint on the soul a spiritual mark or seal that 
cannot be effaced. They are, therefore, never 
received twice. This seal is called the sacra- 
mental character. (Trent Sess. viii. 9.) 

This character renders us capable of certain 
functions in the spiritual order and distinguishes 
us from those who have not received these sac- 
raments. 

Baptism confers on us the distinctive mark of 
children of God and members of the Church of 
Christ entitled to all the blessings of Christianity. 



ESSENTIALS OF A SACRAMENT. 2\J 

Confirmation imprints on the soul the char- 
acter of a soldier of Christ. 

Holy Orders confers on the ordained ministers 
of the Church the sacerdotal character which 
distinguishes them from the laity. 

gi. The sacram'entals are certain sacred things 
or minor rites instituted by the Church, chiefly to 
protect us from the assaults of the wicked spirits. 
They do not give grace of themselves, but are 
endowed with a certain efficacy in virtue of the 
office and prayers of the Church, and the devout 
dispositions of the faithful. 

24. 

THE ESSENTIALS OF A SACRAMENT. 

g2. Three things are required to constitute a 
Sacrament, and make it effective, viz. : the 
matter, the form, and a minister intending to do 
what the Church does. Whatever in the rite is 
perceptible to any of the senses, hearing excepted, 
is the matter of the sacrament. The words used 
which signify the grace conveyed, is the form. 
All the sacraments were instituted by Christ 
Himself while He was on earth. (Trent, Sess. 
vii.) 

Christ alone had that divine power which was 
able to invest any rite with the virtue of im- 
parting of itself grace to the soul. " From His 



2l8 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

fulness we have all received even grace for 
grace.'' (John i. 16.) 

93. The minister of the sacrament is the per- 
son who performs the sacred rite, in accord 
with the will of the Church. He, being a 
rational agent, must have, for valid action, the 
intention of doing what Christ or the Church 
intended by that rite. The validity of the 
sacrament does not, however, depend on the 
faith or sanctity of the minister thereof. 

94. Ceremonies are used in the administration 
of the sacraments to signify and explain tKeir 
effects, to make the sacred rite more solemn 
and impressive, and to arouse the reverence 
and devotion of the faithful. They are acts of 
religion, fostering piety, awakening holy thoughts 
and pious feelings. 

Christ sometimes in working miracles used 
significant ceremonies. When He gave His 
Apostles the power of forgiving sins, He breathed 
on them and said, " Receive ye the Holy Ghost." 
(John xx. 22.) 

25. 

SEVEN SACRAMENTS. 

95* The Christian sacraments are seven in 
number. (Trent, Sess. vii.) 

As the gifts of the Holy Ghost are seven, so 
also there are seven sacraments. (Isaias xi. 2.) 



SEVEN SACRAMENTS. 2ig 

The seven lamps of the Jewish temple may be 
regarded as a symbol of the seven sacraments. 

The Roman, Greek and Oriental Churches 
agree as to the number of the sacraments. 

96. There is a certain analogy between the 
natural life of man and the supernatural life of 
grace. We come into the world feeble infants, 
grow in strength as we grow in age, use remedies 
in time of sickness and require special care in old 
age. One generation springs from and succeeds 
another by the union of the sexes, and society, 
thus perpetuated, has civil rulers to enforce 
justice and preserve order. In the spiritual 
order, or the life of grace, man is born again 
and unto a new life by Baptism. He is strength- 
ened in faith and virtue by Confirmation. His 
soul is purified and healed from the wounds of 
sin by the sacrament* of Penance, and nourished 
by Holy Eucharist. He is fortified and consoled 
in his last illness by Extreme Unction. Matri- 
mony blesses and regulates the union of man 
and woman by which the race is propagated, 
and Holy Orders constitutes spiritual rulers for 
the welfare of the household of the faith. 

97. The seven sacraments answer to the seven 
chief needs of man in the way of salvation. 

Baptism confers on him the supernatural life 
of grace. 



220 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Confirmation strengthens him in the struggle 
to maintain this higher life. 

The Holy Eucharist is the Bread of the soul 
in the spiritual order. 

Penance restores us to the state of grace, if 
unfortunately lost by sin. 

Extreme Unction helps us to win the final 
victory at the hour of death. 

Holy Orders enables us to share in all the 
orderly and fruitful life of the Church. 

Matrimony continues the kingdom of God on 
earth by raising up children of the Church. 

26. 

BAPTISM. 

98. Baptism is a sacrament which cleanses us 
from the guilt of all sin, original and actual, and 
makes us by spiritual regeneration children of 
God and members of his Church. 

By Baptism, the virtue of divine faith is in- 
fused into the soul and we are made Christians 
and heirs of heaven. 

" By the laver of regeneration, we are changed 
from the state in which, as children of Adam, we 
were born, into the state of grace and of sons of 
God by adoption, through the second Adam 
Jesus Christ." (Trent, Sess. vi. 4.) 

99. The rite of Baptism was indicated and its 



BAPTISM. 221 

institution foreshadowed in the baptism of our 
Lord in the Jordan. 

It was not promulgated as a law binding on 
all, till Christ said to His Apostles, " Go ye, 
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them 
in the name of the Father, and of the Son and 
of the Holy Ghost." (Matt, xxviii. 19.) 

ioo Baptism, being the beginning of the 
supernatural life, is the first sacrament received. 
It is the door by which we enter the life of grace 
and the kingdom of God. " Unless a man be 
born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he 
cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 
iii. 5.) 

Baptism prepares the soul for the other sacra- 
ments, none of which can be validly administered 
to the unbaptized. Not only the guilt of sin, 
but the entire penalty, temporal and eternal, is 
remitted by baptism. 

101. The matter of baptism is water and its 
application. The form includes the invocation 
of the three Divine Persons and the words, " I 
baptize thee." " Can any man forbid water that 
these should net be baptized ? And He com- 
manded them to be baptized in the name of the 
Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts x. 47.) 

" Go teach all nations, baptizing them in the 
name of the Father," etc. (Matt, xxviii. 19.) 



222 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

102. The regular mode of using water in 
baptism is to pour it on the head of the person 
to be baptized, while saying the words, " I 
baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of 
the Son and of the Holy Ghost." Baptism 
by immersion, that is, plunging the whole body 
in water, is valid, and was in use in the early 
Church. In case of necessity, the water may be 
poured on any part of the body. 

103. The regular minister of this sacrament 
is the priest. Phillip, the deacon, baptized. 
Deacons baptize with the consent of the pastor. 

In case of necessity, any person, even a pagan, 
can validly and lawfully baptize, if the proper 
rite is used with the right intention. (IV. Lat- 
er an, Cap. Firmiter^) 

A case of necessity arises when a person is 
in danger of dying before a priest can be had, 
or lives in a country rarely or never visited by 
a priest. In such cases it would be wrong to 
unduly delay the baptism. 

Children receiving private baptism should be 
brought to the Church to have the omitted 
ceremonies supplied as soon as it is convenient 
and safe to do so. 

104. Infants should be baptized as soon as 
possible after their birth. (Trent, Sess. vii. 12.) 



BAPTISM. 223 

As danger of death is ever present, prudent 
and pious parents have their children baptized 
within the week in which they are born. 

" Let little children come unto Me, for of such 
is the kingdom of heaven. " (Matt. xix. 14.) 

Inasmuch as infants without any act of theirs, 
share in the guilt of Adam, it is fitting that 
under the law of grace, they should be cleansed 
from original sin without their active cooperation. 

105. Children, when they come to the use of 
reason, need not be asked to ratify the promises 
made for them by their sponsors in baptism. 
They are bound by these promises in any case, 
because they are bound to obey the moral law 
which is all that the baptismal vows imply. The 
promise only makes the obligation more stringent 
and impressive. 

106. We promise in baptism to renounce the 
devil with all his works and pomps. This 
means that we pledge ourselves to forsake the 
service of Satan and shun all sinful thoughts or 
actions which are truly the works of the devil. 

By pomps of the devil are meant the vain 
glory and vanities of worldlings, the pride and 
ambition of the natural man, and the sinful 
customs and false maxims of the world. These 
are the deceitful devices by which the devil 
seduces men from the path of virtue, blinds 
them to danger and entices them to their ruin. 



224 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

21. 
BAPTISM NECESSARY. 

107. Baptism is necessary as a means of 
salvation for both infants and adults. This 
necessity is not such as to exclude exceptions 
as regards the rite, though not as regards the 
substance and chief effects, in case actual 
Baptism is impossible. 

The most valuable effect of baptism is the 
remission of sin. In the case of adults this 
effect can be attained by contrition, perfect love 
of God, with a desire of baptism. This is 
called the baptism of desire. Martyrdom, which 
is a baptism of blood, supplies the place of the 
ordinary rite of Baptism. " He, who, for My 
sake," says Christ, " loses his life shall find it." 
(Matt. xvi. 25.) 

One does not in this way, become a member 
of the visible body of the Church, but rather of 
the soul of the Church, nor does he receive the 
baptismal seal or character on his soul. 

108. In the case of infants who are dead in 
sin through sharing in the guilt of Adam, and 
are incapable of making an act of contrition, 
the only way they can enter the kingdom of 
heaven is by baptism. They can be ushered 
into the supernatural life only by the regenera- 



CONDITIONS OF BAPTISM. 225 

tion effected by this sacrament. " Unless a man 
be born again," etc. (John hi. 5.) 

As infants are incapable of rational sentiments 
or acts of virtue, their sanctification must be the 
work of a sacrament, that is, a divinely ordained 
rite that produces its effect while their souls 
are passive. " Whoever denies that infants, by 
Christian baptism, are saved from perdition and 
gain eternal life, let him be anathema." (Car- 
thage to Innocent I.) 

The perdition here spoken of is the loss of the 
supernatural life of the soul which the whole 
race suffered in Adam, and which unbaptized 
infants will continue to suffer in the next world. 
They lose supernatural beatitude but not such 
natural well-being as is consistent with the pain 
of loss. Infants dying without baptism do not 
suffer the pain of sense or of fire. 



28. 

CONDITIONS OF BAPTISM. 

109. Adults about to be baptized must be 
willing to believe what the Church teaches, and 
have true sorrow for their actual sins, and also 
the intention of receiving the Sacrament. They 
must also sincerely " renounce the devil with all 
his works and pomps " as set forth in the Roman 
Ritual. 



226 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

no. As infants are baptized in the faith of the 
Church before they can act for themselves, they 
must have sponsors to stand for them. The 
duties of sponsors are to answer for their god- 
children in baptism, and, as their spiritual 
parents, to instruct them in the chief duties of 
religion, in case their natural guardians fail in 
that duty or are dead. 

One godfather or godmother is sufficient, and 
more than two sponsors for one infant is not 
allowed. 

If there are two sponsors, one should be male 
and the other female. Sponsors must be Cath- 
olics of good repute, and capable of discharging 
the duties of the office. 

Parents must not act as sponsors for their 
own children. A spiritual affinity is thus con- 
tracted which would debar them from the lawful 
use of marriage. 

29. 

THE MATTER OF BAPTISM. 

in. The water to be used in baptism is the 
natural water of rivers, springs, the sea, etc 
Ordinarily, baptism is given solemnly by a priest, 
using baptismal water, that is, water blessed for 
this special purpose. The solemnity consists in 
using the ceremonies and prayers prescribed for 
baptism in the Roman Ritual, 



CONFIRMATION. 227 

In case of necessity the brief and simple form 
of baptism given in paragraph 102 can be used, 
and by any person having the use of reason. 

112. After pouring the water, the priest 
anoints the child on the crown of the head with 
chrism to show that he is now united with Christ, 
the Head of the faithful, and is, therefore, a 
Christian. 

Then he vests the baptized with a white robe, 
indicating the state of innocence into which the 
sacrament has brought him. The lighted candle 
put into the hand of the baptized is a symbol 
of the light of faith just given to him, and a 
reminder that he must henceforth exhibit in his 
life the Christian virtues, and conduct himself as 
a child of God. 

A name is given in baptism. This name 
should be that of some saint or one not un- 
becoming a Christian. 

30. 

CONFIRMATION. 

113. Confirmation is a sacrament by which 
we receive the Holy Ghost and are made strong 
in the faith, perfect Christians and soldiers of 
Christ. By this sacrament baptismal grace is 
increased in the soul and we receive courage to 
profess the faith openly and strength to practise 
our religion. (Hurter. ix. 369.) 



228 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

The work of spiritual regeneration begun in 
baptism is perfected in confirmation. 

114. Confirmation is a true sacrament in- 
stituted by Christ. (Trent, Sess. vii.) 

When some of the Samaritans were converted 
and baptized, St. Peter and St. John were sent 
to them, and " when they imposed hands on 
them they received the Holy Ghost." (Acts 
viii. 14.) 

" Now he that confirmeth us with you in 
Christ and hath anointed us, is God ; Who also 
hath sealed us and given the pledge of the 
Spirit in our hearts." (II. Cor. i. 21.) 

" When Paul imposed hands on the Ephesians 
who were baptized, the Holy Ghost came upon 
them and they spoke with tongues." (Acts xix. 
6.) 

115. The constant practice and tradition of 
the Church from the beginning prove that this 
is a true sacrament. 

The Greek church and all the Oriental 
churches, as well as the Roman Church, always 
regarded Confirmation as one of the seven sacra- 
ments. 

116. The minister of this sacrament is the 
bishop. Rarely and only by delegation of the 
Holy See, do priests of the Latin Church give 
Confirmation. In the Oriental churches this 



CEREMONY OF CONFIRMATION. 22g 

practice is more common and is there sanctioned 
by the Pope. 

When a priest as delegate of the Holy See 
gives Confirmation he must use chrism blessed 
by a bishop. 

31. 

THE CEREMONY OF CONFIRMATION. 

117. The essential matter of this sacrament 
is the imposition of the bishop's hands and the 
unction with chrism. The form is the words 
pronounced by the bishop while imposing hands 
and anointing the forehead with the sign of the 
cross. 

The bishop extends his hands over those to 
be confirmed and prays that the Holy Ghost 
may come down upon them with His seven fold 
gifts. 

118. Then he anoints each on the forehead 
with holy chrism, saying : " I sign thee with the 
sign of the cross, and confirm thee with the 
chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, 
and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." He 
concludes the ceremony with a blessing. The 
chrism is a compound of olive oil and balsam 
which is blessed by the bishop, generally on 
Holy Thursday. 



23O CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

32. 

EFFECTS OF CONFIRMATION. 

119. Confirmation imprints on the soul the 
character of a soldier of Jesus Christ, and gives 
us courage to profess our faith openly even in 
times of persecution, and fortitude to resist the 
enemies of our salvation. 

Fortitude is indicated by the slight stroke on 
the cheek which the bishop gives after anointing 
the forehead. The oil symbolizes the abun- 
dance of grace received in this sacrament. The 
balsam signifies the preservation of the soul 
from the corruption of sin, and the anointing 
reminds us of the vigor and activity of the 
soldier and the athlete. 

120. In order that children may be properly 
prepared for Confirmation and likely to reap 
greater fruits from it, the ceremony is usually 
deferred till they have come to the full use of 
reason and have learned the chief truths of 
religion. It is then that they begin to need in 
a special manner the graces of this sacrament. 

121. All Christians are by a divine precept 
bound to receive this sacrament when it is 
convenient. This precept is urgent in the case 
of those who are exposed to influences that tend 
to weaken their faith. It would be a sin for 



EFFECTS OF CONFIRMATION. 23 1 

these to neglect a convenient opportunity of 
being confirmed, or refuse to properly prepare 
themselves for this sacrament. 

122. Confirmation can be received worthily 
only by those who are in a state of grace, 
and hence it is preceded by the sacrament of 
Penance. " Wisdom will not enter where sin 
dwelleth." (Wis. i. 4.) 

Sponsors are assigned to those that are con- 
firmed, and their duties are similar to those of 
sponsors in Baptism ; that is, to promote the 
spiritual welfare of those they stand for, in case 
the parents fail to do so. 

123. The bishop in confirming gives each a 
slight stroke on the cheek saying, "Peace be 
with you." This shows that the way of peace 
is through patience and meekness. " Learn of 
Me," says Christ, "because I am meek and 
humble of heart, and you shall find rest for 
your souls." (Matt. xi. 29.) 

124. Children in receiving this sacrament 
publicly confess that they are children of the 
Church and virtually renew the promises -made 
for them in Baptism. They should strive 
throughout life to keep unsullied the character 
of soldiers of Christ, so that at the last day it 
may shine forth to their glory and not to their 
shame. This sacred character is received by 



232 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

all who are confirmed, yet some, by their de- 
fective piety, do not receive the same amount 
of grace as others better disposed. 

125. It is the duty of a soldier of Christ to be 
loyal to Him in whose service he is enlisted, and 
to rejoice in the labors and hardships he has to 
endure in the spiritual combat he has to wage 
through life. He should bear persecution firmly 
and patiently as the Apostles did, who, after they 
were " scourged for Christ's sake went from the 
presence of the Council rejoicing that they were 
accounted worthy to suffer reproaches for the 
name of Jesus." (Acts v. 41.) 

33. 

PREPARATION FOR CONFIRMATION. 

126. All who are to be confirmed should 
know the chief truths of faith and the principal 
duties of a Christian. They should be carefully 
instructed in Christian doctrine as far as their 
age and maturity of mind will permit. Other- 
wise they will not know the worth and meaning 
of this sacred rite, nor have that piety that fits 
the soul to profit by the grace of the sacrament. 

As a special preparation they should give 
some time to pious meditation, repent of their 
sins and make a good confession. Finally, they 
should pray fervently that God would in this. 



SPECIAL FRUITS OF CONFIRMATION. 233 

sacrament send His Holy Spirit upon them with 
His sevenfold gifts. (Luke xi. 13.) 

127. The Apostles spent ten days in seclusion 
and prayer preparing for the coming of the 
promised Paraclete. " All these were persever- 
ing in prayer with the women and Mary, the 
Mother of Jesus, and His brothers." (Acts i. 

i 4 .) 

Prayers and hymns invoking the Holy Ghost, 
are the most fitting and fruitful for a time of 
preparation for Confirmation. 

To receive this sacrament in a state of mortal 
sin would be a great sacrilege. 

34. 

SPECIAL FRUITS OF CONFIRMATION. 

128. The special graces received in Confirma- 
tion are the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost. 
These are wisdom, understanding, counsel, for- 
titude, knowledge, piety and the fear of the 
Lord. (Isaias xi. 2.) 

Wisdom enables us to perceive the value of 
spiritual things, and to conduct our lives so as to 
gain eternal happiness. 

Understanding enables us to have a clearer 
insight into the truths of religion. 

Counsel helps us to guard against the wiles 



234 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

of the enemy of souls and to follow in all cases 
the safer path. 

Fortitude strengthens us to do the will of God 
even in things "hard to flesh and blood." 

Knowledge helps us to know the will of God 
and the way to conform to it. 

Piety prompts us to serve God with filial 
affection and loving obedience. 

" The fear of the Lord is the beginning of 
wisdom." This filial fear causes us to revere 
the law of God, and to dread to offend Him Who 
loves us as a father. 

129. " Charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, 
goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, 
continence, chastity" (Gal. v. 22), are mentioned 
by St. Paul as among the " fruits of the spirit." 

Benignity is that goodness of heart that 
prompts us to seek to assuage the sufferings 
of others. 

Longanimity is the patient endurance of evils 
for Christ's sake. 

Continence is the curb that keeps within due 
bounds the animal passions of our nature, 
especially the sexual impulses and desires, 

130. The return we are to make for the 
graces of Confirmation is to glory in the cross 
of Christ, to spread the true faith ; never, under 
any circumstances, to deny our religion, and to 



THE HOLY EUCHARIST. 235 

be brave and loyal soldiers in the cause of 
Christ and of His Holy Church. 

" Be thou faithful unto death and I will give 
thee the crown of life." (Apoc. ii. 10.) 

The standard of Christ is the Cross. He 
conquered the world, not by the sword, but by 
the wood of the Cross. 

The arms that the soldiers of Christ should 
use in the combat are faith, self-denial, caution, 
prudence and prayer. 

35. 

THE HOLY EUCHARIST. 

131. The Eucharist is the sacrament which 
contains the body and blood, the soul and 
divinity of Jesus Christ under the appearance 
of bread and wine. 

This sacrament excels all the others in dig- 
nity, sanctity and fruitfulness. It is the most 
tremendous of the divine mysteries and the 
most admirable of God's institutions. This is 
shown by the solemn rites with which it is 
celebrated as a sacrifice, and the reverence with 
which it is approached as a sacrament. It is 
the soul and centre of Catholic worship and the 
cause of many religious festivals. 

In the other sacraments the virtue of confer- 
ring grace resides ; in the Holy Eucharist, Christ 
Himself, the Author of all grace, is contained. 



2 36 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

All the other sacraments in some way refer to 
this, the most august of all. 

132. It is a repetition, as it were, of the 
mystery of the Incarnation. Christ still lives 
with us hidden in this sacrament, and continually 
offers us peace and holy joy. By the reception 
of this sacrament the faithful are mystically 
united as members to their head, Jesus Christ. 
" He who eateth Me, the same shall live by 
Me." (John vi. 68.) "I live," says St. Paul, 
"now, not I, but Christ liveth in me." (Gal. ii. 
20.) 

The power, goodness, wisdom, etc., of God are 
admirably exhibited in this Blessed Sacrament. 

36. 

TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 

233. After the consecration of the bread and 
wine, our Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true 
Man, is really, truly and substantially present 
under the species which remain. 

The entire substance of the bread is changed 
into the substance of the body of Christ, and the 
entire substance of the wine, into the substance 
of the blood of Christ, by the power of God in 
the act of consecration. This change is properly 
and justly called Transubstantiation. (Trent 
Sess. xiii. 4.) 



TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 237 

The Roman, Greek and Oriental Churches 
have always held the doctrine of the real 
Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. 

134. The doctrine is drawn from the following 
words of our Lord. " I am the living bread 
which came down from heaven. If any man 
eat of this bread he will live forever ; and the 
bread which I will give is My flesh for the life 
of the world." (John vi. 51.) "Amen, amen, 
I say unto you ; except you eat the flesh of the 
Son of Man and drink His blood, you shall not 
have life in you. He that eateth My flesh and 
drinketh My blood hath everlasting life. For 
My flesh is meat indeed ; and My blood is drink 
indeed : he that eateth My flesh and drinketh 
My blood, abideth in Me and I in Him." (John 
vi. 54-5 6 -) 

135. "And whilst they were at supper Jesus 
took bread and blessed and broke it, and gave 
it to His disciples, saying; "Take ye and eat, 
this is My body." (Matt. xxvi. 26.) 

" This is My body which is given for you : . . . 
In like manner the chalice also, after He had 
supped, saying: This is the chalice, the new 
testament in My blood which shall be shed for 
you." (Luke xxii. 19.) 

" And taking the chalice He gave thanks and 
gave it to them, saying : Drink ye all of this. 



238 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

For this is My blood of the new testament which 
shall be shed for many unto remission of sins." 
(Matt. xxvi. 27.) 

As it was Christ's real body and blood that 
was given on the cross for the redemption of 
mankind, so it is His real body and blood that 
is given in the Holy Eucharist. 

136. This sacrament was instituted by Christ 
at His last supper, the night before His passion 
and death. The species of bread and wine 
constitute the sign or symbol of the hidden 
virtue of this sacrament which is Christ Himself. 
He, being the true spiritual food of our souls, is 
fittingly indicated by bread and wine. 

Our Lord gives Himself to the faithful under 
the appearance of bread and wine to conceal 
His awful majesty, to encourage them to receive 
Him and to show that He is the true food of 
their souls. 

37. 

THE MODE OF CHRIST'S PRESENCE. 

137. The species of things are those qualities 
that are perceptible by the senses, such as shape, 
color, taste, etc. The substance of things is 
not perceived by the senses, and hence may be 
miraculously changed without any noticeable 
change in the outward appearances. 



THE MODE OF CHRIST S PRESE^ T CE. 239 

Christ is whole and entire under the species 
of either the bread or the wine. 

The effect of the hypostatic union of the 
divinity and humanity of our Lord is such that 
the Person of the living Christ is present wher- 
ever His body is. Being now immortal, His soul 
can never again be separated from His body, 
nor His body from His blood. Wherever He 
is present, He is there whole and entire as He is 
in heaven. 

138. Therefore, under either species taken 
separately, Christ in His integrity, body, soul 
and divinity, is received in Holy Communion. 

We know by faith that these species veil the 
real presence of our Lord. 

When the Holy Ghost appeared in the form 
of a dove there was no real dove there ; so when 
Christ comes to us under the species of bread 
and wine there is no real bread and wine on the 
altar. 

It is no more difficult to believe that the God 
of glory is under the sacramental species than 
that the second Person of the Trinity came to 
earth in the form of an infant. 

139. This is an article of faith taught by the 
infallible authority of the Catholic Church from 
the time of the Apostles. " The chalice of 
benediction which we bless," says St. Paul, " is 



240 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

it not the communion of the blood of Christ? 
And the bread which we break is it not the 
partaking of the body of the Lord ?" (I. Cor. x. 
16.) 

" Whosoever shall eat this bread or drink the 
chalice of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty 
of the body and the blood of the Lord." (I. 
Cor. xi. 27.) 

140. The bread and wine become the body 
and blood of Christ by the power and goodness 
of God. He who created all things out of 
nothing by His word only, can certainly change 
one thing into another. He changed the waters 
of Egypt into blood, and a rod into a serpent in 
the time of Moses and Aaron. Christ changed 
water into wine at the marriage feast of Cana 
of Galilee. 

141. The most ancient liturgies contain clear 
indications of the belief in the real Presence. 
One of the prayers of the liturgy of Jerusalem 
is ; " Let us banish all worldly thoughts from our 
minds because the King of kings, Christ our 
Lord, is about to be sacrificed and given to the 
faithful as their food." 

In the Alexandrian liturgy the priest says ; 
u Do Thou send Thy Spirit so that He may 
sanctify and change these offerings into the 
body and blood of our redemption," In the 



THE MODE OF CHRIST S PRESENCE. 24I 

missal of St. Basil we read : " Do Thou, O Lord, 
change this bread and wine so that the bread 
may become Thy body, and the mixture in the 
chalice Thy precious blood." 

142. In the temple at Jerusalem the presence 
of God was indicated by a cloud called the 
shekina. "I will appear in a cloud over the 
oracle. " (Lev. xvi. 2.) This figurative presence 
becomes a reality in the Holy Eucharist. 

In the heavenly Jerusalem we shall see in the 
beatific vision the unclouded majesty of Him 
whom we now adore under the sacramental veils. 
" Now we see, as through a glass, darkly, but 
then face to face/' (I. Cor. xiii. 12.) 

143. Christ is present in the Holy Eucharist 
in His glorified body which has put off all mere 
earthly conditions. Having the same body with 
which He sits at the right hand of His Father 
in heaven, He is present substantially in this 
Blessed Sacrament. 

This is a mystery which cannot be fully 
explained. " Things that are impossible with 
men are possible with God." (Luke xviii. 27.) 

When the Host is divided the body of the 
Lord is not broken, but. His sacramental pres- 
ence is multiplied. 

144. The word Eucharist means a good gift 
and thanksgiving for the same. The Holy 



242 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Eucharist is God's best gift to man, because 
in it He bestows on them the source of all 
grace, His only Son. The Mass, during which 
the Eucharist is consecrated, is the greatest act 
of thanksgiving to God. 

145. The Holy Eucharist was clearly pre- 
figured by the Tree of Life in paradise, the 
sacrifice of bread and wine offered by Melchise- 
dech, the Paschal Lamb and the Manna that fell 
from heaven in the desert to feed the Israelites. 

146. The Eucharist is a sacrament as well 
as a sacrifice, and hence is not a transient 
action but an abiding presence. The custom 
of preserving the Blessed Sacrament in the 
tabernacle of the altar shows this. This presence 
continues as long as the species remain intact. 

147. The Holy Eucharist is reserved in our 
churches for the adoration of the faithful, and 
for convenience in giving Communion to the 
sick and Viaticum to the dying. In this sacra- 
ment of His love, Christ dwells permanently 
with mankind to bring the source of grace near 
to them, to comfort and console them in this 
earthly pilgrimage. In uniting them to Himself 
in Holy Communion He gives them a pledge 
of their future immortality and a share in His 
glory. The object of Divine worship is brought 
down from heaven to our altars, and we pay to 



HOLY COMMUNION. 243 

our Lord, present in this sacrament, the same 
homage that we render to Him in the bosom of 
His Father. 

38. 

HOLY COMMUNION. 

148. The Blessed Sacrament is sometimes 
called Holy Communion. Catholics when they 
approach the altar to receive the Holy Eucharist 
are said to go to Communion. 

This Communion is the union of the faithful 
with their head, Jesus Christ, which is effected 
in a sacramental manner by the reception of the 
Eucharist. It also indicates the union of all 
the members of the Church which is the result 
of their union with Christ. "For we being 
many, are one bread, one body, all who partake 
of one bread." (I. Cor. x. 17.) 

To receive Holy Communion is the most pious 
action of the Christian life. 

149. It is the duty of the faithful to receive 
Holy Communion from time to time. This duty 
is the result of a divine precept. " Unless you eat 
the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, 
you shall not have life in you." (John vi. 54.) 
It is enforced by a law of the Church prescribing 
an annual Communion during the paschal time. 

Because of the precept, Communion is nee- 



244 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

essary as a means of salvation. The obligation 
arises from the precept, and is not binding on 
those who have not yet come to the use of 
reason. 

150. The faithful discharge their paschal duty 
by receiving Communion under the species of 
bread alone. Priests in celebrating Mass. are 
bound to communicate under both kind?, be- 
cause the integrity of the sacrifice require* the 
consumption of both the species of bread and of 
vine. Christ being present under either species, 
the end of the sacrament is attained bv receiving 
under one kind. 

While it would be valid for the faithful to 
receive under both kinds as was the custom of 
the early Church, prudence and convenience 
make it better to receive only the species of 
bread. The danger of indignity to the Blessed 
Sacrament by the spilling of the precious blood, 
is thereby avoided. The Greeks who receive 
under both kinds in their churches, give commu- 
nion to the sick in their houses U':der the 
species of bread alone. 

39. 

FREQUENT COMMUNION 

151. It is well to communicate often, as 
nothing else is more conducive to a holy life. 
u I am the bread of life." .'• As the liv ag Father 



FREQUENT COMMUNION. 245 

hath sent Me and I live by the Father ; so he 
that eateth Me, the same shall live by Me." 
('John vi. 48, 58.) It is the duty of our confessor 
or spiritual director to regulate the frequency of 
our communions. 

The state of soul required for frequent com- 
munion is the effect of piety, correct moral 
conduct and a good use of the grace of God. 

Frequent communion tends to holiness of life 
because it unites us in a most effective manner 
with Jesus Christ. " He that eateth My flesh 
and drinketh My blood abideth in Me and I in 
him." (John vi. 57.) 

152. Communion increases sanctifying grace 
in the soul, and secures for us many actual 
graces. It subdues our passions, mitigates 
concupiscence, tends to correct the evil bias of 
our fallen nature and inspires us with a love of 
virtue. 

Communion frees us from venial sins if we 
are sorry for them, and tends to keep us from 
falling into mortal sin. It is to us a pledge of 
eternal life and the germ of a glorious resurrec- 
tion. " He that eateth My flesh and drinketh 
My blood, hath everlasting life ; and I will raise 
him up at the last day," (John vi. 55.) 



246 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION. 

153. In order to receive Communion worthily 
we must be in a state of grace, that is, free from 
the guilt of mortal sin. The fruit of our Com- 
munion will depend upon our faith, hope and 
charity. 

We should be clothed in the "nuptial gar- 
ment " whenever we partake of this divine 
banquet. Hence Communion should ordinarily 
be preceded by Confession. (Trent, Sess. xiii. 

7-) 

For those who have fallen into mortal sin an 

act of contrition without the sacrament of Pen- 
ance is not a sufficient preparation for Holy 
Communion. 

154. To communicate unworthily is a profana- 
tion of the sacred person of- our Lord, tends to 
harden the heart and blind the intellect, and 
may lead to final impenitence. To receive Com- 
munion in a state of sin would be a horrible 
sacrilege. It would be a gross abuse of a holy 
thing, a profanation of the Holy of holies and 
a desecration of the most sacred rite of religion. 

Hence St. Paul says : " Let a man prove 
himself, and so let him eat of that bread and 
drink of the chalice. For he that eateth and 



PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION. 247 

drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judg- 
ment to himself." (I. Cor. xi. 28.) 

155. He who receives unworthily u is guilty of 
the body and blood of the Lord." (I. Cor. xi. 
27.) This was the crime of Judas at the Last 
Supper. To bring our Lord into a soul where 
Satan reigns by mortal sin is to betray Him into 
the hands of His greatest enemy, to put upon 
Him the grossest indignity, and to be guilty of 
the basest ingratitude. To turn this sacrament 
of divine love into a symbol of hate is a sense- 
less perversion of God's choicest gift, the most 
wicked insult we could offer to our Holy Re- 
deemer. In no other way could we more surely 
invoke the wrath of God, call down judgment on 
ourselves and procure our own damnation. 

156. We must also have a lively faith in the 
real presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacra^ 
ment. 

This faith is founded on the word of Christ 
Himself, and, as the veracity of God is more 
reliable than even our own senses, it should be 
proof against all doubt. 

In preparation for Communion we should 
foster a firm hope of our salvation by having 
the greatest confidence in the promises and 
goodness of Christ Who gives Himself to us in 
this banquet of love, and promises us eternal life 



248 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

thereby. Christ, to show His love for us in a 
special manner, gave us Himself to be the food 
of our souls. 

157. We should cherish an ardent charity by 
frequently thinking on the goodness of God and 
the sacrifice Christ made for us. We should 
show it by returning love for love, and by de^- 
voting ourselves in earnest to the service of 
God, and keeping His commandments all the 
days of our lives. Our charity may be said to 
be ardent when it is animated by a holy fervor 
that burns out of our souls all affection for sin 
or for any creature that might lead us from God. 
Our love should be of the heart and not merely 
words on the lips, and should show itself chiefly 
in deeds, that is, works of piety and mercy. 
This was the character of the love of Christ for 
us, and our love should conform to that model. 

If we love God we will adore Him and serve 
Him faithfully, discharge our duties to our 
neighbor and to Holy Church, and seek a closer 
union with His beloved Son by frequent Com- 
munion. 

158. As a preparation for Holy Communion 
we should be fasting from midnight. We must 
abstain from all food and drink on the morning 
of our Communion out of reverence for the 
Blessed Sacrament. It is fitting that no nourish- 



PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION. 249 

ment of the body should precede this spiritual 
food of the soul. 

159. The sick who are in danger of death 
and who receive the Holy Eucharist by way of 
Viaticum, are not bound to be fasting. Viaticum 
is provision for a journey, and Holy Communion, 
when given as one of the last sacraments, pro- 
vides the departing soul with the most strength- 
ening food to sustain it in its passage to eternity. 

160. In approaching the Holy Table we 
should be clean in person and dress, and show 
by our whole exterior the greatest reverence for 
the Blessed Sacrament. We should appear very 
modest and humble, because it is God Himself, 
the Creator of heaven and earth, that we are 
about to receive. However poor or plain our 
dress may be it should be neat and clean. 

161. The fruits of Holy Communion depend 
on the condition of our soul and the sentiments 
of piety we cherish in our hearts. Meditation 
on the significance of the act we are about to 
perform, the dignity of Him we are about to 
receive, and the treasures of grace that he brings 
to us, will best produce these sentiments in our 
souls. 

162. When the moment of receiving is near 
we should renew our sorrow for sin, recall the 
motives of faith and awaken the love of God in 



25O CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

our hearts. When the priest presenting the 
Sacred Host repeats the words of John the 
Baptist : " Behold the Lamb of God, behold 
Him who taketh away the sins of the world " 
(John i. 29), we should revive our faith in the 
real presence, and striking our breast in sorrow, 
say : " Lord I am not worthy that Thou shouldst 
enter under my roof, but only say the word and 
my soul shall be healed." 

Kneeling at the altar rail the communicant 
spreads the cloth over his hands, and holding 
the head erect and firm, reverently receives the 
Host on his tongue. With hands joined and 
modest deportment he then retires from the 
altar and spends some time in meditation and 
thanksgiving. 

163. At least a quarter of an hour should be 
given to this pious duty. 

The acts after Communion given in the prayer- 
book will be to many a great aid in this devo- 
tion. 

The few moments that follow Communion 
should be well spent as they are most precious 
and rich in graces. 

164. After Communion meditate for a few 
moments on the infinite worth of the guest that 
has deigned to visit you, and welcome Him with 
all the fervor of your soul. Adore Him present 



PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION. 25 1 

in your bosom, and join with the angels and 
saints in praising His goodness and blessing 
His holy name. 

Beseech Him by the healing contact of His 
precious blood to cure all your infirmities. Pray 
for all the graces you need and for the welfare 
of those near and dear to you. Give your heart 
entirely to God, and implore the grace of final 
perseverance. 

165. The pious practice of communicating 
spiritually, that is by desire, whenever one 
assists at Mass without receiving, is highly 
recommended. 

This ardent desire to receive Communion is 
often the fruit of a visit to the Blessed Sacra- 
ment reserved in the tabernacle of our altars. 

166. Lukewarmness and indifference in prep- 
aration often greatly lessen the fruits of Holy 
Communion. 

Too frequent Communion made without real 
piety by those who do not meditate on the great 
truths of religion, take no pains to correct their 
faults, and cherish an affection for certain venial 
sins, may lead to this fatal indifference and 
. spiritual lethargy. 

167. The Eucharist is a memorial of the 
wonderful things of God. " He hath caused 
his wonderful works to be remembered, He hath 



2 52 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

given food to those that fear Him. (Ps. no. 4.) 
It is a clear manifestation of His perfections. 
In the institution of this sacrament Christ shows 
His supreme love for us by giving us Himself. 
No greater gift than this can be conceived. In 
this He also shows the paternal care He has of 
us. " This is the bread that cometh down from 
heaven. _ If any man eat this bread he shall not 
die." (John vi. 32.) Sustained by this food we 
can surely reach the promised land. His wis- 
dom also is shown in this sacrament. He has 
devised a way in which He can be always among 
us and yet furnish us with occasion to exercise 
our faith. His omnipotence is here also dis- 
played in as much as Transubstantiation is one 
of the greatest miracles of divine power. 

What the heart is to the body in sustaining 
human life, this sacrament is to the mystic body 
of Christ, that is, the Church, as it is the source 
of the supernatural life. 

41. 

THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 

168. The sacrament of Penance is that in 
which sins committed after Baptism are forgiven 
by the absolution of the priest to those that 
confess them with sorrow. 

The word penance sometimes means the 



THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 253 

.virtue of repentance by which a man grieves 
for his sins, renounces them and willingly suffers 
for them. This virtue of repentance is always 
required in the forgiveness of sins, and hence it 
is absolutely necessary for valid absolution in 
the sacrament of penance. 

169. Christ gave to the priests of His Church 
the power of forgiving sins when He said to His 
Apostles : " Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose 
sins you shall forgive they are forgiven them, 
and whose sins you shall retain they are retained." 
(John xx. 22 ; Trent, Sess. xiv. 2.) St. Peter 
had the power of forgiving sins. " Repent ye, 
therefore, and be converted that your sins may 
be blotted out. (Acts iii. 19.) Christ said to 
Peter, " I will give to thee the keys of the king- 
dom of heaven ; whatsoever thou shalt bind on 
earth shall be bound also in heaven ; and what- 
soever thou shalt loose on earth shalt be loosed 
also in heaven. " (Matt. xvi. 19.) 

This same power He gave afterwards to all 
the Apostles. (Matt, xviii. 18.) 

The Church has always understood these 
words of Christ to refer to the power of forgiving 
sins, as well as to the power of making laws and 
dispensing in the same. 

170. The sacrament of penance is necessary 
for all who have fallen into mortal sin after 



254 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Baptism. (Trent. Sess. vi.) It is the second 
plank after shipwreck, Baptism being the first. 

St. Paul says : " Behold all things are made 
new. But all things are of God Who hath 
reconciled us to Himself in Christ, and hath 
given to us the ministry of reconciliation." (II. 
Cor. v. 1 8.) Reconciliation with God can only 
be effected by the forgiveness of sins. 

St. Matthew relates that when Christ said to 
the man sick of the palsy : " Son, be of good 
heart; thy sins are forgiven thee," the Scribes 
murmured at this, and Christ said : " That you 
may know that the Son of man hath power on 
earth to forgive sins, I say to this man, arise, 
take up thy bed and go into thy house. And he 
arose and went into his house. And the multi- 
tude, seeing this, feared and glorified God Who 
had given such power to man." (Matt. ix. 2-8.) 

171. Sins are forgiven by the power of God, 
exercised through the ministry of the Apostles 
and their successors, the priests of the Catholic 
Church. The minister of this sacrament is, 
therefore, a person in priestly orders, having the 
faculty of jurisdiction or the care of souls from 
his bishop. 

The power of absolving from sin is inherent 
in the priestly character ; but its valid exercise 
depends on faculties that can only be granted 
by a bishop. These faculties can be used only 



A DOUBLE POWER. 255 

in favor of those over whom the bishop has 
given the priest jurisdiction. Any priest can 
exercise this power in the case of persons dying 
in the absence of their proper pastor. 



42. 

A DOUBLE POWER. 

172. The power of the priest in regard to sins 
is a double power. He can remit sins where the 
necessary dispositions exist, or he may refuse 
absolution for just cause. He has the power 
of binding as well as loosing. Hence he can 
impose the duty of doing penance for sin and 
determine what satisfaction is to be made. He 
can defer absolution till the penitent is properly 
prepared to receive the sacrament worthily, and 
may prescribe the conditions under which it will 
be granted. (Trent, Sess. xiv. 8.) 

173. The power of the keys is ministerial. 
The priest is bound to use it, not according to 
his arbitrary will, but in conformity to the will 
of God and the laws laid down by Christ. He 
is not the master but the dispenser of the 
mysteries of God, and acts in the place of 
Christ. This power, however, is divine, as its 
author is divine, and its effects tend to the 
salvation of souls. The decisions of the tribunal 



256 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

of penance are ratified in heaven, and blot out 
the guilt of sin from penitent souls. 

When the sacrament of penance cannot be 
received, the defect can be supplied by perfect 
contrition and the intention of going to Confes- 
sion as soon as convenient. 

174. The sacrament of penance produces 
many and salutary effects. It effaces the guilt 
of sins committed after Baptism ; it remits the 
eternal punishment due to mortal sin and re- 
stores sanctifying grace to the soul. 

175. The sins confessed together with con- 
trition and satisfaction are the subject-matter of 
this sacrament. 

The pious acts of the penitent cooperate with 
the absolution of the priest in freeing the soul 
from the guilt of sin. 

The form of the sacrament of penance is the 
Absolution which must be pronounced by the 
priest in these words : " I absolve thee from thy 
sins in the name of the Father and of the Son 
and of the Holy Ghost.'' 

43. 

A JUDICIAL POWER. 

176. The priestly power of absolving penitents 
from their sins is judicial and cannot be properly 
exercised without a knowledge of the case. 



A JUDICIAL POWER. 257 

Hence the necessity of confession on the part 
of the penitent. 

The priest must form a judgment of the 
gravity of the sins confessed, the sorrow of the 
penitent and the proper penance to impose in 
each case. As the confessor acts in the name 
of Christ he is bound to administer the sacra- 
ments only to those who, according to the 
teachings of Christ are worthy to receive them. 
Without a full manifestation of conscience it is 
impossible for the confessor to know whether a 
person has the proper dispositions to profit by 
the sacrament of penance. The office of the 
priest is to grant or withhold remission of sin, 
according to the circumstances of the case and 
the dispositions of the penitent. These he can 
know only by confession. The penance imposed 
should be in proportion to the gravity of the 
sins, which can be known through the self -ac- 
cusation alone of the penitent. 

177. The office of the confessor is also medic- 
inal. It is his duty to apply to the infirmities 
of the soul the proper remedies. The medicine 
that heals the wounds inflicted by sin is sacra- 
mental grace, penance and ghostly counsel. 



258 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

44. 

CONFESSION. 

178. Confession is the telling of our sins to a 
priest in order to obtain pardon for them. 

" Confess your sins one to another, and pray 
for one another that you may be saved." (James 
v. 16.) 

The power of forgiving sins which Christ gave 
to His Church implies # an obligation on the part 
of the faithful to confess their sins. 

Sacramental confession is of divine institution 
and is necessary for salvation. (Trent : Sess. 
xiv. Can. 6.) 

179. The office of reconciliation which in- 
cludes the forgiveness of sins is, according to 
St. Paul, entrusted to the priests. This office 
they exercise in the sacrament of penance, of 
which confession is an essential part. Hence 
sinners are bound to confess all • the mortal sins 
they may have committed after Baptism. It is 
well that they should confess venial sins also. 

No single mortal sin is pardoned unless all 
are made known and included in the priest's 
absolution. 

180. Apart from its necessity, confession of 
sins is salutary and useful. 



EARLY USAGE. 259 

Experience proves that confession is a great 
relief and consolation to the conscience bur- 
dened with sin. It, also, by causing a man to 
consider the state of his soul, leads him to see 
his defects and bad habits, teaches him to apply 
the remedy and avoid the occasions of sin. 

Confession is an act of humility which we owe 
to the justice of God. Nothing tends more 
strongly to win forgiveness from the person 
offended than humble and sorrowful confession. 

Pastors are much helped in the care and 
guidance of souls by sincere confession. 

The Church by this means exercises a salu- 
tary influence over men's conduct. Confessors 
often effect great good to society by healing 
strife, reconciling enemies, causing restitution 
to be made, and by either preventing or repair- 
ing scandals. Many are deterred from commit- 
ting sins by the thought of the shame they will 
have to endure in confessing them. 

45. 

EARLY USAGE. 

181. The Oriental Churches, some of which 
originated in the early ages of Christianity, 
retain the practice of confession. In the Acts 
of the Apostles we read that some of the first 
converts who had followed magic arts, " Came 



26o CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

confessing their deeds," and in satisfaction for 
their sins burnt their books of sorcery. (Acts 
xix. 1 8.) 

The early Church did not permit sinners to 
partake of the Eucharist till they had confessed 
and done penance for their sins. Even public 
confession was common among the early 
Christians. 

46. 

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE. 

182. In preparing for confession we should 
first pray for the grace of a good confession 
and then examine our conscience carefully so as 
to know what sins we may be guilty of. As 
sorrow for sin is absolutely necessary to obtain 
pardon, we should meditate on the truths of re- 
ligion and the motives best suited to excite in 
oui hearts a lively contrition. 

183. The simplest method of examination of 
conscience is to recall the different command- 
ments of God and the precepts of the Church 
and see in what way and how often we may have 
broken them. It is also useful to recall the 
seven deadly sins and our predominant passion 
and bad habits. We should also notice in what 
way we may have neglected the duties of our 



EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE. 26 1 

state of life. We must bear in mind that we 
may fall into sin either by thought, word, deed 
or omission. Our ruling passion is the chief 
cause of our sins. 

184. We are bound to take prudent measures 
and ordinary care, without scrupulosity, to 
discover all our mortal sins before entering the 
tribunal of penance. In case it is our first 
confession w T e must examine our lives since we 
came to the use of reason. Ordinarily, we are 
bound to confess only the sins we have com- 
mitted since our last good confession. Oc- 
casionally, following the advice of our confessor, 
it will be useful or perhaps necessary to make a 
general confession. 

185. To help the memory it will be well to 
call to mind the places we have frequented, the 
persons in w T hose company we were, the things 
we have done and said, and the manner in which 
we have passed our time from day to day. 

If we cannot tell how often we have committed 
any sin we should at least be able to say how 
long the habit lasted, and how often in a day or 
a week we usually fell into it. 

The sins we should most carefully recall to 
mind in confession are mortal sins and habitual 
venial sins, as a sin in itself venial may become 
mortal by repetition, as in matters of justice, 
where thefts of small sums may by repetition 



262 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

become grave. Acts of faith, hope, charity and 
contrition should be made immediately before 
confession. 

47. 

DANGER OF DELAY. 

1 86. If we ever have the misfortune to fall 
into mortal sin we should immediately have 
recourse to the sacrament of penance. Most 
dangerous is the state of unhappy sinners who 
either delay or refuse to do so. Bitter are the 
regrets and keen the remorse that await them 
at the hour of death, perhaps, to be their portion 
for all eternity. 

"If we confess our sins He is faithful and 
just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us 
from all iniquity." (I. John i. 9.) 

187. A worthy reception of the sacrament of 
penance revives the merit of good works for- 
feited by sin, replaces us in the way of salvation, 
and confers on us actual graces enabling us to 
lead lives of virtue. We should thank God for 
the mercy He displays in this sacrament of 
reconciliation by which we are freed from sin 
and the terrors of a guilty conscience. 

In confession we must be careful not to reveal 
the sins of others or the names of accomplices. 
It would be a sin against fraternal charity to do 
so without necessity. 



QUALITIES OF CONFESSION. 263 

/ 

48. 

QUALITIES OF CONFESSION. 

188. Our confession should be humble, sin- 
cere, simple and entire. "An humble and 
contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." 
(Ps. 1. 19.) The publican in the Gospel who 
humbly confessed his sins in the temple, went 
down to his house justified. 

It must be sincere ; that is, a truthful declara- 
tion of our sins, without seeking to lessen their 
gravity or diminish our guilt by vain excuses. 

It must be simple ; that is, we should exclude 
from our confession matters that have no bear- 
ing on the state of our souls. 

It must be full and entire ; that is, we must 
confess all the mortal sins that we can remem- 
ber. To conceal a single. mortal sin in confession 
makes it bad, and the reception of absolution 
sacrilegious. Knowingly to hold back a mortal 
sin in confession is a most grievous sin, because 
it is the same as telling a lie to the Holy Ghost. 
(Acts v.) A bad confession is a profanation of 
the sacrament of Penance, an insult to God, and 
a perversion of a most merciful institution, so 
that what was intended to be a salutary remedy 
becomes a deadly poison. 

189. To overcome our natural shame to reveal 



264 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

our sins to another, we should reflect that it is 
less painful to confess our sins to a priest bound 
to secrecy by the most solemn obligations, than 
to suffer the stings of conscience all our lives, 
die a miserable death, and be put to open shame 
before the whole world on the day of judgment. 

190. If we have, through mere forgetfulness, 
omitted a mortal sin in the tribunal of penance, 
that does not make our confession bad. Al- 
though we are obliged to mention it in our next 
confession, we need not abstain from Holy Com- 
munion on that account. 

191. If, knowing that we have not true sorrow 
for our sins, we receive absolution from the 
priest, we commit a sacrilege. 

If we have only venial sins to confess and 
have not sorrow for any one of them, thinking 
we have it, our confession is of no avail. As 
we may be in doubt about our sorrow for venial 
sins, it is well to confess some grievous sin of 
our past life, in case we have been guilty of any, 
so as to avoid receiving absolution in vain. 

49. 

THE SEAL OF SECRECY. 

192. The secrecy of the confessional is the 
most sacred and inviolable known to man. It 
is called the seal of secrecy because all sins 



THE SEAL OF SECRECY. 265 

known through the confessional are placed, as 
it were, under an inviolable seal. 

The confessor is bound by all laws, human 
and divine, and under the severest penalities, to 
guard the secrets of the confessional, even at 
the risk of his life. History records cases of 
martyrdom in defence of the secrecy of confes- 
sion, such as that of St. John Nepomucen, but 
no case of direct violation of this sacred seal. 
From this fact it is evident that a special Provi- 
dence watches over the secrecy of the tribunal of 
penance. 

This obligation of secrecy Is equally binding 
on all who in any way come to a knowledge of 
sins through the confessional ; as, for instance, 
by acting as an interpreter, or overhearing what 
is said by the penitent to the priest. 

193. Although this strict secrecy is not im- 
posed on the penitent, he is advised that it is 
rash and often the occasion of sin or injury to 
religion, to reveal to others what has been con- 
fessed to the priest, or to speak of the questions 
asked, the advice given or the penance en« 
joined. 



266 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 



50. 

THE MANNER OF CONFESSION. 

194. At confession we must first ask the 
priest's blessing, and, after saying the confiteor, 
accuse ourselves of our sins and beg forgiveness 
for them. We should take to heart the advice 
and admonition of the priest, accept the penance 
he imposes, and renew our sorrow when he gives 
us absolution. Making the sign of the cross 
the penitent says : " Bless me, father, for I have 
sinned. " The priest gives his blessing, saying ; 
" May the Lord be in thy heart and on thy lips, 
that thou mayest truly and fully confess all thy 
sins." 

The penitent then tells how long it was since 
his last confession, whether he performed his 
penance or not, and if he was allowed to" go to 
Communion. 

He then confesses all the sins that his con- 
science accuses him of and makes known the 
number as far as he can. 

195. If absolution was refused at his last 
confession and he is now confessing to another 
priest, he must go back over the whole period 
since he was absolved. If he is confessing to 
the same priest this may not be necessary. The 



ABSOLUTION. 267 

judgment and advice of the confessor will 
determine that point. 

The penitent concludes his confession with 
the following words : " For these and all the sins 
I do not now remember I am heartily sorry, and 
resolve to sin no more. I humbly ask pardon 
of God, and penance and absolution from you, 
my ghostly father." 



51. 

ABSOLUTION. 

196. Absolution is the grant of pardon pro- 
nounced by the priest as the minister of God in 
the sacrament of penance. It must be expressed 
in words, and is valid only when pronounced 
over a penitent who is in the presence of the 
priest. The formula of absolution according to 
the Roman Ritual, is ; " May our Saviour, Jesus 
Christ, absolve thee ; and I by' His authority 
absolve thee, as far as I have the power and you 
the need, from every bond of excommunication 
or interdict : then, I absolve thee from thy sins, 
in the name of the Father and of the Son and 
of the Holy Ghost." 

197. Absolution is a judicial act by which 
sin is actually forgiven by the priest, and not 
merely a declaration of the forgiveness that 



268 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

God grants to all repentant sinners. (Trent, 
Sess. xiv. 6.) 

This judicial act can be validly performed by 
a priest only in favor of those who are made 
subject to his jurisdiction by the authority of 
the bishop. Certain very grave sins are reserved 
to the Pope or to the bishop, and no priest can 
absolve from these without special faculties. 
This reservation does not hold, however, if the 
penitent is at the point of death. 

198. After confession we should thank God 
for His great mercy in forgiving our sins and 
perform the penance enjoined. This penance 
is usually prayer, almsdeeds or other good works 
prescribed by the priest as satisfaction for our 
sins. To neglect to perform this penance is a 
sin. The gravity of this sin depends on the 
gravity of the sins confessed and the nature of 
the penance imposed. 

53. 

CONTRITION. 

199. Contrition is a hatred of sin and a 
hearty sorrow for having offended God, together 
with a firm purpose of sinning no more. 

The word contrite means bruised or broken, 
hence a contrite heart means a heart broken 
with sorrow. 



CONTRITION. 26g 

Contrition, to be of any effect, must be of the 
heart, a sincere grief of the soul for having 
yielded to sin. We must detest sin as the 
greatest evil, renounce it and withdraw our 
affections from it. 

200. Contrition is the most essential part of 
Penance, the chief element of true repentance, 
and nothing else can supply its place. It is 
the necessary condition of valid absolution, 
because without it no sin is pardoned. " If you 
do not do penance you will all likewise perish." 
(Luke xiii. 3.) 

It implies a change of heart, by which we 
turn from the sinful use of creatures to the love 
and service of God. Without this change of 
heart there can be no true reconciliation between 
the sinner and God, and hence no real forgive- 
ness of sin. (Trent, Sess. xiv. 1.) 

201. Perfect contrition is that sorrow for sin 
which is inspired by the pure love of God, Who 
on account of His infinite goodness is most 
worthy of our love. It is the fruit of the virtue 
of charity which is the most perfect motive of 
sorrow for sin. " If any man love Me, My 
Father will love him." (John xiv. 23.) 

Sorrow arising from less perfect motives is 
called attrition. 

202. Attrition is that sorrow for sin that is 



27O CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

produced by thinking of the malice of sin in 
itself, the loss of heaven incurred thereby, and 
the pains of hell which is its proper punishment. 

Attrition suffices for valid absolution, because 
the grace of the sacrament of Penance supple- 
ments the imperfect motives of the sorrow. 

Sorrow, to be efficacious, must spring from 
same supernatural motive ; that is, it must be 
something more than the natural grief we feel 
for the loss of goods or character, and must be 
the fruit of motives supplied by faith. 

203. This sorrow, whether it be contrition or 
attrition must be internal, universal and sov- 
ereign ; that is, it must be of the heart, extend 
to all our mortal sins, and surpass that arising 
from any other cause whatever. 

We should grieve more for having offended 
God than for any other evil that could befall us. 

204. A firm purpose of amendment is a strong 
resolve to sin no more, and must have the same 
qualities as contrition. It must, besides, be 
effective ; that is, it should tend to a real refor- 
mation of life, and lead us to avoid sin and its 
dangerous occasions : " He that loveth danger 
shall perish in it." (Ecclus. iii. 27.) We see 
the need of amending our lives from the words 
of our Lord addressed to the sinful woman : 
"Go and sin no more" (John viii. 11), and to 



MOTIVES OF CONTRITION. 2/1 

the infirm man whom He healed on the Sabbath : 
" Behold, thou art made whole. Sin no more, 
lest some worse thing happen to thee." (John 
v. 14.) 

The surest sign of sorrow for sin is a sincere 
intention of amendment. Those who always 
relapse into the same grievous sins have reason 
to fear that their hearts were not truly converted, 
and that their confessions were bad. 

53. 

MOTIVES OF SORROW FOR SIN. 

205. Effective motives of sorrow will be 
found in the fear of hell, the loss of heaven, 
the wickedness of sin, the ingratitude of offend- 
ing so good a God, and the injury done to the 
majesty of the Creator and Lord of all things. 

Hell is a place or state of endless suffering in 
which the souls of the damned are punished, in 
company with the devils, by the pain of loss 
and the pain of sense or of fire. 

The loss of heaven includes the loss of the 
beatific vision which was destined to be the 
supreme happiness of the soul. The pain of 
this loss is the keenest anguish the soul is 
capable of suffering, and is intensified by the 
thought that it is the result of one's own fault 
and is irreparable and eternal. 



2>]2 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Ingratitude for favors received is the most 
shameful sentiment of the human heart. The 
favors we have received from God are of the 
highest order. He has created us rational 
beings capable of supreme happiness. He has 
redeemed us after we had lost our right to that 
happiness by sin. By His graces He preserves 
us day by day from falling into hell, and keeps 
us in the way of salvation that leads to heaven. 

206. By sin we insult the holiness of God, 
outrage His goodness, offend His majesty and 
make a mockery of Him by preferring to Him 
our own self-will, evil desires and vile pleasures. 
The Son of God died for our sake, and we 
crucify Him again whenever we commit sin. 

By sin we renew the cause of the crucifixion 
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and, as 
far as we are concerned, undo the work of re- 
demption which He so painfully wrought on the 
cross. By sin we give the victory to Satan, 
the great foe of Christ, and place ourselves once 
more in the power of the devil. 

The thought of having offended God, Who is 
infinitely good and perfect in Himself and most 
deserving of our love, is the most excellent 
motive for contrition. Sorrow, thus arising 
from the love of God alone, is perfect contrition 
and procures forgiveness for us even before we 



SATISFACTION. 273 

go to confession, or in case it is impossible for 
us to receive the sacrament of Penance. 

54. 

SATISFACTION. 

207. Satisfaction is the acceptance of the 
penance imposed by the priest in atonement 
for the injury done to God by sin, and because 
of the temporal punishment due to sin after the 
guilt is remitted. We must also repair any in- 
jury done to our neighbor in goods or character. 

This satisfaction should be made as soon as 
convenient after confession. 

208. It is not necessary that the satisfaction 
should be actually made before absolution is 
given. A sincere intention of making reparation 
is what is required for the validity of the sacra- 
ment. If the penance is, by wilful neglect, not 
performed or restitution unduly delayed, a new 
sin is committed. 

That the priest has the power of imposing 
penance under pain of sin, is evident from the 
power of binding as well as loosing granted by 
Christ to the ministers of the sacrament of 
penance. (Matt, xviii. 18.) 

209. The penance enjoined by the priest, 
consists, usually, of prayers, almsdeeds, fasting 
and other good works. In cases of injustice the 
obligation of making restitution is clearly ex 



274 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE, 

plained and rigorously enforced by the confessor. 
Satisfaction is also due to our neighbor in case 
we have wrongfully injured his good name or 
detracted from his honor. 

210. Although Christ has fully satisfied for 
all sin, it is, nevertheless, His will that we should 
join with Him in doing something to satisfy the 
justice of God. The fruits of redemption are 
applied to our souls only in case we comply 
with the conditions laid down, and, of our own 
free will, cooperate in the work of satisfaction. 
Whatever we do to satisfy for our sins derives 
its merit solely from the satisfaction wrought by 
Christ. (Trent, Sess. xiv. 8.) 

2ii. We cannot of our own accord change 
the penance enjoined on us in confession. Self- 
imposed penances, or afflictions patiently borne 
help to satisfy for our sins. The penance en- 
joined in confession is, however, more efficacious 
in this respect, because, being a part of the 
sacrament of Penance, it is sanctified and made 
more fruitful by the grace of the sacrament, and 
has a much greater value in the sight of God. 

The penance imposed by the priest will not 
always fully satisfy for our sins, and should be 
supplemented by voluntary mortification and by 
gaining indulgences. Any defect in discharging 
in this world the temporal penalty due to sin, 
will be supplied in purgatory. 



TEMPORAL PENALTY. 275 

55. 

TEMPORAL PENALTY. 

212. The eternal penalty for sin is always 
remitted with the guilt, but there often remains 
a temporal penalty to be expiated in this world 
or in purgatory. (Trent, Sess. xiv. 12.) 

Moses and Aaron," although pardoned by God 
for their faults, were not allowed to enter the 
promised land as a punishment for their dis- 
trust in the Lord when, in Kadesh, he com- 
manded them to draw water from the rock. 
(Num. xx. 12.) 

David, although assured of forgiveness through 
the prophet Nathan, was punished by the death 
of his son. " Because you have caused the 
enemies of God to blaspheme, the child that is 
born unto thee shall surely die." (II. Kings 
xii. 14.) 

Adam, although promised a Redeemer, was 
not exempt from temporal pains and penalties. 
" Cursed is the ground for thy sake. In sorrow 
shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life." 
(Gen. iii. 17.) 

These penalties are intended to teach us the 
heinousness of sin, and to help us to bridle our 
passions and make us more vigilant in resisting 
temptations. (Trent, Sess. xiv. 8.) 



2J& CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

56. 

INDULGENCES. 

213. An indulgence is the relaxation of the 
temporal punishment due to sin after the guilt: 
and eternal penalty are remitted. An indulgence 
can be granted only by ecclesiastical authority. 
It is a special application of the superabundant 
merits of Christ and the saints which are laid 
up in the Church as a treasure. The Church 
is the guardian and dispenser of this treasure 
of satisfaction, and draws therefrom, from time 
to time, as the interests of religion and the good 
of souls require. 

The Church has the power of granting indul- 
gences, and these are useful aids to the faithful 
in the work of saving their souls. (Trent, Sess. 
xxv.) 

214. As the merits of Christ are infinite, they 
can never be exhausted. 

The saints, by their good works, sufferings 
and prayers, have more than satisfied for their 
faults, and their superabundant merits are not 
lost, but held in reserve for the good of others. 
The infinite goodness of God will not permit 
these generous satisfactions to be made in vain 
or be void of effect. 

215. This power of granting indulgences is 



INDULGENCES. 277 

included in the power of binding and loosing 
given to the Church by Christ. (Matt, xviii. 
1 8.) According to the principle that the less is 
included in the greater, the power to release 
from eternal pains includes that of remitting 
temporal punishment. The power to admit to 
the kingdom of heaven, which is called the 
power of the keys, includes the power to remove 
obstacles that would exclude from heaven. Sins 
not fully atoned for, would be such an obstacle, 
and the defect of satisfaction may be supplied 
by gaining an indulgence. 

The Corinthian sinner was at first condemned 
by St. Paul and excluded from the communion 
of the Church. Afterwards the Apostle relieved 
him from this censure, and restored him to the 
bosom of the Church. This was a true grant 
of an indulgence. (I. Cor. v. 4, and II. Cor. ii. 
6.) At first the incestuous man was delivered 
to the kingdom of Satan to be punished unto 
repentance ; but when, by suffering and sorrow, 
he had partly atoned for his sin, the rest of the 
penalty was remitted. 

216. We know from Eusebius that it was the 
constant practice of the Church from the begin- 
ning to grant indulgences. 

At the request of the martyrs who were held 
in prison, the bishops often relaxed the rigor of 
the canonical penances in favor of those who, 



278 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

having once fallen from the faith, repented of 
their sin and sought peace with the Church. 
(St. Cyprian, x. Epistle.) 

217. The Church's power of granting indul- 
gences is exercised by the Pope for the whole 
world, and by bishops for their own dioceses. 
Bishops, however, have power to grant only 
partial indulgences. 

If that which in strict justice might be de- 
manded, is in mercy remitted, the favor is called 
an indulgence. 

A plenary indulgence remits the entire debt 
of temporal punishment due to sin. 

A partial indulgence remits only a part of the 
temporal debt due on account of sin. 

Partial indulgences are granted in terms of 
the old canonical penances. 

Thus an indulgence of seven years means the 
remission of as much of the temporal punish- 
ment due to sin, as would be atoned for by 
seven years' canonical penance- 

5H. 

CONDITIONS OF INDULGENCE. 

218. Indulgences are granted only for good 
cause and on certain conditions. To gain a 
plenary indulgence one must go to Confession so 
as to be in a state of grace, receive Holy Com- 



CONDITIONS OF INDULGENCE. 279 

munion, and perform the good works prescribed 
by the Pope in granting the indulgence. Hence 
one must be sincerely sorry for all his sins, both 
mortal and venial, and have no affection even 
for any venial sin. Forgiveness of the guilt of 
sin must precede remission of the penalty. 
While the soul is under sentence of eternal 
death it cannot be released from the temporal 
penalty due to sin. As sincere repentance and 
a firm resolution of amendment are necessary 
for the pardon of sin, so also are they necessary 
for gaining an indulgence whether plenary or 
partial. Some partial indulgences maybe gained 
without receiving the Holy Eucharist, provided 
the other conditions are fulfilled. 

219. In addition to Confession and Com^ 
munion the good works usually prescribed as a 
condition of gaining a plenary indulgence are 
alms-deeds, donations for pious purposes, fasting, 
visiting some church and prayer for the intention 
of the Holy Father. We must have the inten- 
tion of gaining an indulgence while performing 
these good works, and at least the last must be 
performed in a state of grace. The intention 
of the Pope above mentioned is that we should 
pray for the spread of the Catholic faith, the 
prosperity of the Church, the conversion of 
sinners, and peace among Christian nations. 

220. A Jubilee is a plenary indulgence which 



28o CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

the Pope grants to the whole Church every 
twenty-fifth year or on extraordinary occasions. 
Confessors, during a Jubilee, have special facul- 
ties to absolve in certain reserved cases. 

The Church grants indulgences because they 
tend to lead us to live holy lives, and to enable 
us to satisfy divine justice. 

58. 
UTILITY OF INDULGENCES. 

221. Indulgences are useful to the faithful, 
inasmuch as they lessen or entirely remove the 
debt of temporal punishment, lead them to use 
the sacramental sources of divine grace, and 
awaken religious fervor by visiting churches 
and other holy places. They also teach us the 
value of the communion of saints, by which the 
defects of some are supplied by the superabun- 
dant merits of others. They lead to works of 
charity and piety to the great profit of the poor 
and the advancement of religion. As they are 
granted to the truly penitent alone, they en- 
courage men to detest sin, reform their lives 
and practise virtue. 

Indulgences are also profitable to the souls in 
purgatory. Pius VI. taught this in condemning 
the Forty-Second Proposition of the Synod of 
Pistoia. 



UTILITY OF INDULGENCES. 251 

The souls of the departed do not profit by 
indulgences by way of absolution as do the souls 
of the faithful on earth, but by way of suffrage, 
because departed souls are no longer within the 
jurisdiction of the Church. By this we under- 
stand that by the authority of the Church our 
suffrages, that is, indulgences, penitential works 
and their fruits, are offered to God in behalf of 
the souls suffering in purgatory, and we are 
assured that He will accept them. 

222. An indulgence is not a pardon of sin, 
past, present or future. An indulgence can take 
effect only after the sinner is restored to grace 
by the sacrament of Penance or by perfect 
contrition. Forgiveness of sin must prepare the 
way for gaining an indulgence. It ought to be 
unnecessary to state that an indulgence is not 
a license to commit sin, and yet this has been 
falsely asserted by anti-Catholics, and is widely 
believed in non-Catholic communities. The 
error seems to have originated in a pleasantry 
told about Tetzel and related by Seckendorf. 
Some excuse for this misconception is found in 
the ease with which dispensations from the laws 
of the Church, may be confounded with indul- 
gences. A dispensation granted by proper 
authority in matters of ecclesiastical law makes 
that sinless which otherwise would be sinful. A 
dispensation from the law of fasting or in certain 



282 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

impediments to marriage, created not by natural 
or divine law, but by the law of the Church 
would be a good example. 

59. 

HOLY ORDERS. 

223. Holy Orders is a sacrament by which 
the clergy are ordained as ministers of God, and 
given power and grace to perform their sacred 
duties. The distinction between the clergy and 
the laity is of divine origin. The clergy are, 
by the institution of Christ, endowed with cer- 
tain powers in the spiritual order not conceded 
to the laity. A cleric is, as the name implies, 
one who, set apart for the exclusive service of 
the Church, has the Lord for his inheritance. 
The priests and levites of the Old Law were 
types of the Christian clergy. Priests are called 
to their sacred office by Christ, and receive their 
powers from Him. " I have chosen you," says 
Christ to His Apostles. (John xv. 16.) The 
Church acting in the name of Christ, elects and 
calls to sacred orders those that are inwardly 
moved thereto by divine grace and are fitted to 
discharge the functions of the sacred ministry. 

224. The clergy are ordained by a solemn 
rite performed by the Church in accordance 
with the will of Christ. 



HOLY ORDERS. 283 

This rite consists chiefly in the imposition of 
the hands of the bishop, who alone has the power 
to confer Holy Orders. " Those ('elected to be 
deacons) they set before the Apostles and they 
praying imposed hands on them." (Acts vi. 6.) 

" Do not neglect the grace which is in thee, 
which was given to thee by prophecy with 
imposition of the hands of the clergy." (I. Tim. 
iv. 14.) 

" I admonish thee that thou stir up the grace 
of God which is in thee by the imposition of my 
hands." (II. Tim. i. 6.) 

What here is meant is the sacerdotal grace 
which through St. Paul was given to Timothy. 

225. The imposition of the hands of the 
bishop and clergy, and the touching of the sacred 
vessels constitute the matter of this sacrament. 
The form consists of the words of consecration 
pronounced by the bishop in the ceremony of 
ordination, while imposing hands or delivering 
the sacred emblem peculiar to each grade. 

The sacrament of Holy Order gives to the 
priest the power of consecration in the sacrifice 
of the Mass, the power of forgiving sins in the 
sacrament of Penance, the right to preach the 
gospel and teach the doctrines of the Church 
with authority, and the power to administer 
§evera} of the sacraments. The faithful honor 



284 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

priests as the ministers of Jesus Christ and their 
fathers in the spiritual order. 

60. 

THE HIERARCHY. 

226. The clergy are not all of the same rank. 
They are divided into several grades or orders, 
the lower subordinate to the higher, and each 
having its own distinctive power and function. 
These grades are seven : that of porter, reader, 
exorcist, acolyte, sub-deacon, deacon and priest. 
The first four are called minor orders, the last 
three, major or Holy Orders. 

The minor orders do not require a vow of 
perpetual service to the Church, and admit only 
to the inferior offices of the sacred ministry. 

The major orders bind the recipient to a total 
and perpetual dedication to the service of the 
Church. Those who are in major orders per- 
form the more sacred functions of the ministry, 
such as administering the sacraments. There 
is only one sacrament of Holy Order. The 
grades are called degrees, because they lead, step 
by step, to the highest ecclesiastical grade which 
is the priesthood. Hence the hierarchy consists 
of inferior ministers, priests and bishops. (Trent, 
Sess. xxiii. 6.) 

227. This hierarchy is of two kinds, that of 
orders and that of jurisdiction. The priesthood 



THE HIERARCHY. 285 

admits of two degrees of dignity, that of priest 
and that of bishop. Priests are superior to 
deacons, and bishops are superior to priests. 
Bishops alone have the power of confirming the 
faithful and of ordaining priests. Jurisdiction 
also comes from them. 

There is a hierarchy of jurisdiction consisting 
of the Pope, cardinals, primates, archbishops, 
and bishops. The office of cardinal is to assist 
the Pope by counsel and labors, and to elect 
a new Pope when the See of Peter becomes 
vacant. 

228. Christ ordained his Apostles priests when, 
after changing bread and wine into His body 
and blood, at the Last Supper, He said to them, 
" Do this for a commemoration of me." (Luke 
xxii. 19.) 

The sacrament of Holy Order confers the 
permanent character of the diaconate or of the 
priesthood which can never be lost. It also 
gives power and grace to perform worthily the 
sacred functions of the Christian ministry. u I 
admonish thee that thou stir up the grace of 
God, which is in thee by the imposition of my 
hands." (II. Tim. i. 6.) 

229. For the legitimate exercise of his sacred 
ministry the priest requires, for the most part, 
not only the powers given him in Holy Orders, 
but the power of jurisdiction, which is given him 



286 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

by his bishop when he assigns him to a missiom 
The powers of the priesthood are inherent in 
the sacerdotal character and cannot be forfeited ; 
while jurisdiction can be withdrawn for good 
cause. 

61. 

SIGNS OF A VOCATION. 

230. The conditions required for advancement 
to Holy Orders are, a divine call or vocation, 
freedom from certain impediments, a state of 
grace, a virtuous life, and sufficient knowledge 
and theological learning. 

There are signs by which a person may know 
whether he has a divine vocation. These are a 
virtuous life, an inclination to the ecclesiastical 
state, the intention of serving God in that state, 
and the advice and approbation of his confessor. 
He who takes orders without the necessary quali- 
fications is guilty of sin, and exposes his eternal 
salvation to great danger. Parents are guilty of 
a great sin, if through worldly motives they 
induce their sons to become priests without a 
vocation, or if they prevent their children from 
following a religious vocation. A vocation to 
this holy state shows itself by genuine piety, a 
great love of Christ and his Church, solid virtue, 
control of the passions, intellectual ability and 
love of learning, and an ardent desire to devote 
one's whole life to the saving of souls. 



MATRIMONY. 287 

231. The respect which we owe to priests is 
due them because they are the ministers of Jesus 
Christ, through whom we must be saved. For 
men are not saved without the sacraments, and 
the sacraments are administered by the hands of 
priests. Hence, it is necessary to respect their 
person as well as their reputation. " Touch not 
my anointed," saith the Lord. (I. Par. xvi. 22.) 

Special respect is due to the Sovereign Pon- 
tiff, because he is the head of the Church, the 
vicar on earth of Jesus Christ, and the common 
pastor of all the faithful ; to the bishop who is 
the pastor of the diocese to which we belong ; 
and to the pastor of our parish who has the care 
of our souls, and to all other priests who ad- 
minister to our wants in the spiritual order. 

The priest of the New Law has received 
the most sublime vocation and the most exalted 
mission. His ordination confers on him the 
most august office that man can exercise. 

62. 

MATRIMONY. 

232. Matrimony is a sacrament which sancti 
fies the conjugal union of a man and woman as 
husband and wife, and confers upon them the 
graces needed in the married state. (Matt. xix. 6. ) 

Under the Christian law matrimony is a sacra- 
ment. St. Paul compares it to the union between 



255 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Christ and the Church, and says : " This is a great 
sacrament ; but I speak in Christ and in the 
Church." (Ephes. v. 32.) 

In the sacrament of Matrimony, the contract 
of marriage is made sacred, and the graces needed 
in the married state conferred. By these graces 
the married pair are aided in doing their duties 
towards each other and towards their children. 
A cordial union and a peaceful family are the 
blessings of this sacrament. 

The natural affection of love is sanctified, 
fortified, and perpetuated, and thus true conjugal 
happiness is secured. 

233. Marriage is a contract of one man with 
one woman, by which they mutually bind them- 
selves to live together as husband and wife in 
lawful wedlock till death comes to either. 

Considered as a contract, marriage is as old as 
the human race, and is in its very nature indis- 
soluble. 

The Church alone has the right to make laws 
concerning the sacrament of Matrimony. As far 
as it is a civil contract the State has the right to 
regulate its civil effects. 

God is the author of matrimony. In the begin- 
ning He created Adam and Eve, male and female, 
so that by their union they might propagate the 
human race. " God created man in his own 
image and likeness ; male and female He created 



MATRJMONY. 289 

them. And God blessed them, saying : Increase 
and multiply, and fill the earth." (Gen. i. 27.) 

234. Matrimony is a true sacrament, because 
it has the three things necessary to make it such. 

The visible or outward sign of this sacrament 
is the mutual consent of the parties, expressed 
by words or other signs, in accordance with the 
requirements of the Church. 

The substance of the contract lies in the mutual 
surrender of the parties to each other, and the 
form consists of the words and signs by which 
they take each other for life as husband and wife. 

The words of St. Paul indicate that, in the 
Church of Christ, marriage is not only a sign of 
the union and love which is required of the 
married pair, but also that it is modeled on the 
union between Christ and His Church. , 

235. The graces conferred by the sacrament 
of Matrimony are those that aid the married 
couple to discharge well the duties of their state 
of life. The chief duties of the married couple 
are : 

1. To love, cherish, and help each other, to 
yield to each other's wishes, and to bear with 
good temper each other's defects. 

2. To bring up their children in the love and 
fear of God, and to provide for the welfare of 
both their souls and their bodies. 

3. To be faithful to their marriage vows, and 



29O CATHOLIC. DOCTRINE. 

to preserve inviolate the purity of the holy state 
of wedlock. 

236. Those who intend to enter this state 
should pray to God for prudence in making 
choice of a companion for life. Character and 
virtue should be regarded, rather than wealth or 
beauty. 

Their intention should be pure -and in har- 
mony with the will of God. Their motives 
should not be merely worldly, or the gratification 
of the sensual appetite. 

237. A Catholic should never marry a non- 
Catholic. The wisdom of the Church condemns 
such marriages as fatal to the intimate union of 
hearts and minds so essential to happiness in 
the mayried state, and as dangerous to the faith 
of the Catholic husband or wife, and that of the 
children. 

They who contract marriage in the state of 
mortal sin are guilty of a sacrilege, by profaning 
so great a sacrament, and, instead of a blessing, 
they receive censure and need not expect happi- 
ness in the married state. 

To receive worthily the sacrament of marriage 
they should make a good confession, and 
earnestly beseech God to grant them a pure 
intention, and direct them in the choice they 
are making. 



MATRIMONY. 2<JI 

A good confession is required, because mar- 
riage is a sacrament of the living, and should, 
therefore, be received in the state of grace. 

238. Marriage should be contracted in the 
presence of one's own pastor or his delegate, 
and before two witnesses. The laws of the 
State, where not contrary to the laws of the 
Church, should be observed in the interest of 
legality and the civic rights of the offspring. 

Those who are about to marry are to pray 
that they may enter the married state with the 
view of accomplishing God's will, and of fulfilling 
the lawful ends of marriage. They are also to 
pray that God may -direct them in their choice, 
since their happiness in this life, as well as their 
eternal happiness, depends, in a great measure, 
upon that choice. 

There are three objects which persons 
about to marry may lawfully propose to them- 
selves, viz., mutual help and the solace of 
human love, the bringing up of children in the 
fear and love of God, and the avoidance of 
temptations arising from the sexual impulses. 

239. Before entering the married state a person 
should seriously consider whether he may not 
have a call to the religious state, and have re- 
course to prayer and the advice of his spiritual 
director for light to guide him in choosing a 
state of life. 



292 CATHOLIC DOCTRIXE. 

Those may be said to act thoughtlessly who 
do not consider seriously whether it is God's 
will that they should enter the married state, and 
who, in the choice of a partner for life, give 
heed neither to the will of God, nor to the advice 
of their parents, nor their own salvation. 

240. According to reason and religion, chil- 
dren should consult their parents on their in- 
tended marriages, and be advised by them ; they 
should also give timely notice to their pastor. 

This is due to parents on account of the re- 
spect and obedience which by the law of nature 
children owe to them, and the honor which is 
due them by the express law of God ; and be- 
cause experience shows that marriages made 
against the will of parents, for the most part, 
prove unhappy. 

As this is a matter of the greatest importance 
and the gravest consequences, the advice of 
one's pastor should be especially sought for and 
religiously observed. 

241. It is not lawful for parents to force their 
children to marry against their will, nor can they, 
without a just cause, hinder them from marrying. 
Children are not bound to yield to the wishes of 
their parents, when they unjustly and unreason- 
ably refuse their consent. 

Due notice should be given to the priest so 



MATRIMONY. 293 

that the bans may be published and other prep- 
arations made, and forbidden times avoided. 

Many marriages prove unhappy, because they 
are made from unworthy motives, or with guilty 
consciences, and hence, are not blessed by God. 

Among the more common unworthy motives 
may be mentioned unholy ambition, love of 
riches, and the mere gratification of the animal 
passions. 

The solemnization of marriage is forbidden 
during Lent and Advent. 

242. Unfaithfulness to the marriage vows, 
especially the crime of adultery, is a most 
grievous sin, and destructive of happiness in the 
married state. It violates the sacred rights of 
the husband or wife, destroys domestic peace, 
and may lead to the grossest injustice in bring- 
ing spurious offspring into the family. 

243. There are certain impediments that ren- 
der marriage either unlawful or invalid. The 
chief of these are, difference in religion, consan- 
guinity or blood relationship, affinity by marriage 
and spiritual affinity. 

First, second, and third cousins are within the 
degrees of kindred within which marriage is for- 
bidden by the Church. 

Betrothal, or a formal and mutual promise of 
marriage, if not dissolved by mutual consent or 



294 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

for just cause, renders marriage with a third 
party illicit, though not invalid. Affinity to the 
fourth degree, and in the first degree arising from 
espousals, invalidates marriage. Spiritual affin- 
ity, arising from standing sponsor in baptism, is 
also an impediment invalidating marriage. 

It is the Church that has established these 
impediments, and she can, for good and sufficient 
cause, remove them in certain cases by way of 
dispensation. 

There are certain impediments to marriage, 
arising from the natural law, which cannot be 
removed by the Church, such as the relationship 
of mother and son. 

Marriage of Catholics with Jews or other un- 
baptized persons is null and void, if attempted 
without due dispensation of the Church authori- 
ties. 

The confessor or spiritual director should be 
informed in advance, so as to enable him to give 
suitable instruction in the matter. 

244. In courtship and the meetings that 
usually precede marriage, the laws of chastity, 
the dictates of modesty, and the rules of propri- 
ety should be strictly observed. 

No indecent familiarities, nor words or conduct 
likely to suggest sinful thoughts should be al- 
lowed. 

The sacrament of Matrimonv should be re- 



MATRIMONY. 295 

ceived in a state of grace ; hence confession and 
Communion should precede the marriage cere- 
mony. To be married in a state of mortal sin is 
a sacrilege. When possible, all marriages should 
take place at Mass, with the nuptial benediction 
prescribed in the Missal. 

Sobriety, decorum, and becoming gravity should 
characterize the wedding festivities. 

The husband is the head of the family, and to 
him chiefly belongs domestic authority. 

" Husbands love your wives, as Christ also 
loved the Church, and delivered himself up for 
it. So also ought men to love their wives as 
their own bodies." (Ephes. v. 25.) 

The wife owes love and obedience to the hus- 
band, but being his helpmate and not his slave, 
she shares in his home, his goods, his rights 
and honors. 

" Let women be subject to their husbands, as 
to the Lord, because the husband is the head of 
the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church." 
(Ephes. v. 22.) 

245. Divorce, except in the limited form of 
separate habitation, is neither lawful nor valid in 
the Catholic Church. Civil divorce affects the 
legal rights of the parties, but does not dissolve 
the bond of wedlock so as to allow either party 
to marry again. 

The bond or tie of marriage cannot be broken 



296 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

except by the death of the husband or of the 
wife. (Matt. xix. ; Rom. vii. ; I. Cor. vii.) 

To show that the bond of marriage cannot be 
broken, our Lord says : " What therefore God 
hath joined together, let not man put asunder/' 
(Matt. xix. 6.) 

St. Paul says : " For the woman that hath a 
husband, whilst her husband liveth, is bound to 
the law ; but if her husband be dead, she is 
loosed from the law of her husband " (Rom. vii. 
2) ; and again, he says : " Not I, but the Lord 
commandeth that the wife depart not from her 
husband ; and if she depart, that she remain 
unmarried ; and let not the husband put away 
his wife." (I. Cor. vii. 10, 11.) 

63. 

EXTREME UNCTION. 

246. Extreme Lmction is the Sacrament which 
fortifies with grace those who are in danger of 
death by sickness. It tends to enable them to 
die a happy death, and sometimes restores them 
to health. It is called Extreme Unction be- 
cause it is the last unction administered. 

In administering this sacrament the priest 
anoints the sick person with olive oil blessed by 
the bishop, and prays over him. The parts 
anointed are the organs of the senses, such as 



EXTREME UNCTION. 29/ 

the eyes, the hands, etc., which are the chief 
instruments of sin. 

247. The prayer or form of this sacrament is 
as follows : 

" By this holy unction and through His most 
tender mercy, may the Lord forgive thee what- 
ever sins thou hast committed by seeing (hearing 
etc.") The full form with its proper termination 
is repeated for each of the senses. In case of 
argent necessity, the form is said but once. 

248. This sacrament was instituted by Christ 
and promulgated by St. James. " Is any one 
sick among you ? Let him bring in the priests 
of the Church, and let them pray over him, 
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man ; 
and the Lord shall raise him up ; and if he be 
in sins, they shall be forgiven him." (James v. 

14.) 

When the Apostles were sent forth, two and 
two, by our Lord, they anointed the sick. 
"And going forth they preached that men 
should do penance : and they cast out many 
devils, and anointing with oil many that were 
sick, they healed them." (Mark vi. 12, 13.) 

249. Christ alone could have given to this 
anointing the supernatural power indicated in 
these passages of scripture ; therefore, Christ 



298 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

is the author of this sacrament. (Trent, Sess. 
xiv. 1.) 

The priest is the minister of this sacrament 
Not every priest, however, but only one's proper 
pastor, has the right to administer Extreme 
Unction. 



64. 

EFFECTS OF EXTREME UNCTION. 

250. Extreme Unction is the supplement of 
the sacrament of Penance, hence it cleanses the 
soul of the dying from venial sins. Through it 
are forgiven even mortal sins, when the sick 
person is no longer able to make a confession, 
provided he has the same sorrow for his sins, 
which suffices in the sacrament of Penance. It 
also frees the soul from the remains of sin, that 
is, from some of the temporal punishment due 
to sin, and from the tendency to evil and 
the weakness of the will, which are the effects 
of sin. " If he be in sins," says St. James, 
''they shall be forgiven him." All Catholics 
that have come to the use of reason should 
receive Extreme Unction when in danger of 
death by sickness. 

251. Extreme Unction gives strength and 
comfort to the dying. It fortifies them against 
the attacks of the devil, which are specially 



EFFECTS OF EXTREME UNCTION. 299 

severe at the hour of death. It gives them 
patience to endure the pains of their last illness 
in a penitential spirit, and makes them resigned 
to die if it is the will of God. By awaking con- 
fidence in the mercy of God, this sacrament 
wonderfully consoles and comforts the sick, and 
gives them that serenity of mind and peace of 
conscience that are enjoyed by those who die a 
happy death. It sometimes assuages pain and 
even restores to health when the greater spiritual 
good of the patient will be thus promoted. 

252. Those only who are in danger of death 
by sickness receive Extreme Unction. Those 
who expose themselves to death in battle or 
otherwise, and such as are condemned to death 
by the civil authorities, are not subjects of this 
sacrament. 

It is not necessary or advisable to defer this 
sacrament till the person is actually dying. If 
the ailment is such as sometimes results in 
death, the patient should be anointed. It is 
very foolish to defer this sacrament through 
vain fears that it will hasten death, as the con- 
trary often happens. 

This sacrament may be repeated even in the 
same sickness, in case of partial recovery and 
relapse into real danger. 

253. The priest should be called in to ad- 



300 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

minister Extreme Unction while the patient is 
yet in his senses and conscious of what is being 
done. Those who have charge of the sick and 
especially the relatives of those in danger of 
death by sickness, commit a grievous sin if they 
fail to call in the priest in time, and if, through 
their fault, the patient dies without the last 
sacraments. 

254. We should prepare for Extreme. Unction 
by a good confession, because in danger of 
death the reception of the sacrament of Penance 
is of divine precept. In receiving the last sacra- 
ment we should be truly sorry for our sins, and 
resigned to the will of God. If the person is 
speechless, he should be helped to make an act 
of perfect contrition in his heart. He should 
unite mentally in the prayers of the Church 
while the sacrament is being administered by 
the priest. 

255. In the chamber of the sick person who 
is about to receive Extreme Unction, there 
should be prepared a table covered with a white 
cloth, having upon it a crucifix, two lighted 
candles, holy water, and a little raw cotton for 
wiping away the oil. As Viaticum is usually 
given at the same time, a glass of water and a 
spoon will be useful to the priest in disposing of 
the purifications. 



DEATH. 30I 

65. 

DEATH. 

256. Death is the end of our life on earth 
and the door by which we enter eternity. It 
consists in the dissolution of the union of the 
soul with the body. The soul having departed 
from the body, the latter is dead. " It is de- 
creed for all men once to die, and after death, 
the judgment." (Heb. ix. 27.) Death is one 
of the penalties of original sin inflicted on the 
whole human race. " Because thou hast eaten 
of the tree of which I commanded thee not to 
eat, in the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread 
till thou return into the ground out of which 
thou wast taken ; for dust thou art, and unto 
dust thou shalt return. " (Gen. hi. 19.) 

" By one man sin entered into this world, and 
by sin death, and. so death passed upon all 
men." (Rom. v. 12.) 

257. The moment of death is of supreme 
importance, as the eternal fate of the soul de- 
pends on the state in which it passes from this 
world into the next. Those who die in the state 
of grace are saved, those who die in mortal sin 
are lost. The state of the soul at the hour of 
death is generally the result of the good or bad 
life the person has led. Those who lead virtu- 



302 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

ous lives generally die a good death ; those who 
lead wicked lives generally fail to profit by 
the grace of God at the hour of death. To be 
prepared for death is, therefore, man's chief 
duty. As the time of death is uncertain, pru- 
dence dictates that we should be always pre- 
pared to meet the judgment that follows death. 
" Be prepared because at what hour you think 
not, the Son of man will come." (Luke xii. 40.) 

Death is decisive of our fate for all eternity. 
We can die only once. If we die a bad death 
the evil can never be repaired. 

Those who lead virtuous lives need not fear 
death. Christ has conquered death and made 
it the passage to eternal felicity. 

The death of the just is peaceful and happy, 
because for them it is the end of their trials, the 
close of their labors, the threshold of heaven. 

66. . 

THE PARTICULAR JUDGMENT. 
258. Immediately after death, departed souls 
have to appear before the judgment seat of God 
and there receive sentence of approval or con- 
demnation according to their deeds, good or 
evil, done in the flesh; and no time for repen- 
tance will exist for the wicked, by which they 
might be saved. (II. Cor. v. 10.) "After death, 
the judgment." (Heb. ix. 27.) 



HEAVEN. 303 

259. Souls that depart from this life in a 
state of grace without, however, having perfectly 
satisfied divine justice, are detained in purgatory 
for a time before they are admitted to heaven. 
Those that die with the guilt of mortal sin on 
their souls are, immediately after judgment, 
confined in hell to be there punished forever. 

The souls of the saints who die in perfect 
holiness are at once received into heaven, and 
there enjoy the beatific vision forever. 



67. 

HEAVEN. 

260. Heaven is the place of God's glory, and 
the home of the angels and saints. In Heaven, 
the Kingdom of God, the saints will enjoy perfect 
beatitude forever. Beatitude is a state of per- 
fect happiness arising from the possession of all 
good. It is either natural, such as men may 
enjoy in this world, or supernatural, such as 
the beatitude of heaven. Man has no right to 
supernatural beatitude. Like grace, it is a free 
gift of God. It consists in sharing the happi- 
ness which is proper to God alone. We partici- 
pate in this divine happiness by union with God 
through acts of the intellect and will, through 
knowledge and love. 



304 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

261, In heaven we shall know God through 
the beatific vision. 

" We know that when He shall have come we 
shall be like to Him since we shall see Him as 
He is." (I. John hi. 2.) 

" We see now as through a glass darkly, but 
then face to face : we now know in part, then 
we shall know as we are known." (I. Cor. xiii. 

12.) 

This knowledge and vision of God, though 
far clearer than we can have on this earth, are 
not, however, complete, since the infinite cannot 
be comprehended fully by the finite, even in 
heaven. 

262. As the knowledge and possession of the 
highest good is the essence of beatitude, the 
happiness of the saints consists in this clearer 
vision of God and union with Him by which they 
enter into the fruition of what they love as the 
good, the true, and the beautiful in its highest 
perfection. " This is eternal life to know Thee, 
the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom Thou 
hast sent." (John xvii. 3.) In the fruition of 
God by the beatific vision, the saints enjoy that 
eternal rest, perpetual light and perfect happi- 
ness which we ask for the souls departed in our 
prayers for the dead. The beatific vision of 
God is had through the light of glory. 

" Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither did 



HELL. 305 

it enter into the heart of man to conceive what 
God hath prepared for those who love Him." 
(I. Cor. ii. 9.) 

The light of glory is a certain supernatural 
quality infused into the intellect by which it is 
made fit and able to see God. This light is 
given only to the blessed in heaven. 

263. The happiness of the blessed is greater 
or less in proportion to their merits. " Star 
diflereth from star in glory ; so is the resurrec- 
tion of the dead." (I. Cor. xv. 41.) 

The chief motive for a life of perfection and 
the practice of the Christian counsels of poverty, 
chastity and obedience, would be taken away if 
all who are saved shared equally in the bliss of 
heaven without regard to their various merits. 

In heaven faith is consummated in sight ; 
hope, in possession, and love, in fruition. 

A special halo of glory is attributed to 
martyrs, virgins and doctors. 

68. 

HELL. 

264. Hell is the state or place of those con- 
demned to eternal punishment. 

" Some to everlasting life, and some to dis- 
grace and everlasting shame." (Dan. xii. 2.) 
" Depart from Ale, ye cursed, into eternal fire, 



306 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

which was prepared for the devil and his 
angels." (Matt. xxv. 41.) 

" And these shall go into eternal punishment, 
but the just into life everlasting." (Ibid. 46.) 

"And their worm shall never die, and their 
fire shall never be quenched." (Isaias lxvi. 24.) 

The grain he will gather into his barn, but the 
chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire. 
(Matt. iii. 12.) 

" Into Gehenna, into the inextinguishable fire, 
where the worm dieth not." (Mark ix. 42.) 

265. The eternal punishment of the wicked, 
who persevere to the last moment of their lives 
in rebellion against God, is required by divine 
justice. The infinite malice of sin is thus 
adequately punished. 

The lawgiver of civil society has the right to 
punish those who break the law. God, being 
the supreme lawgiver and ruler of the human 
race, will surely punish those who violate His 
laws. He sometimes partially punishes sinners 
in this world, but in the case of the impenitent, 
He reserves for the next life the full penalty for 
mortal sin which is eternal suffering, the final 
condition of the lost. 

266. The providence of God sometimes al- 
lows the wicked to prosper in this world, but 
His justice requires that virtue should be finally 



HELL. 307 

rewarded and vice punished. This God does 
in eternity. 

267. The belief in hell is so universal and 
constant that it must have its origin in a primi- 
tive revelation. 

It is coeval and coextensive with the belief 
in a God of justice. Even Pagan nations be- 
lieved in a place of punishment for the wicked 
in the next life. This they called Tartarus and 
Hades. 

The pains of hell are of two kinds, the pain 
of loss and the pain of sense. Separation from 
God, the true destiny of man, and the knowledge 
that in hell this separation will be eternal, con- 
stitute the pain of loss. 

268. The pains of sense are many. A sense 
of moral vileness and remorse of conscience are 
consequences of sin that follow the lost into 
eternity. 

Regret for the loss of heaven is probably 
the "worm that never dieth.' , The companion- 
ship of devils and of the damned is one of the 
pains of hell. Desires that torment the soul 
and can never be satisfied, and that anguish of 
spirit resulting from hate and anger against God 
and all that is good, combine to torture the 
wicked in hell. Shame and despair are part of 
the punishment of the damned. 



308 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

The pain of sense is indicated by the fire of 
hell. This is real fire and not a mere figurative 
expression. The body as well as the soul will 
suffer in hell fire ; so that mental agony and 
bodily torture will combine to make the exis- 
tence of the lost most miserable. "It is a 
fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living 
God." (Heb. x. 31.) "They will be cast into 
exterior darkness, where there will be weeping 
and gnashing of teeth." 

All the damned do not suffer alike. The 
punishment is proportioned to the malice and 
gravity of their sins. " Give unto her double 
according to her works." (Apoc. xviii. 6.) 

69. 

THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. 

y.5g. At the end of time there will be the 
resurrection of the dead. Our bodies will be 
recalled from the grave, and animated once more 
by our souls, will live forever. 

In proof of this we have the words of Christ : 
" The hour cometh wherein all that are in the 
graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God. 
And they that have done good things will come 
forth unto the resurrection of life; but they that 
have done evil unto the resurrection of judg- 
ment." (John v. 28.) 



THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. 309 

St. Paul sets forth clearly the resurrection of 
the body in the fifteenth chapter of his first 
epistle to the Corinthians : " As in Adam all 
die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. " 
(I. Cor. xv. 22.) 

" Now Christ is risen from the dead, the first 
fruit of them that sleep." (Ibid. 20.) 

" At the last trumpet, the dead shall rise 
again." (Ibid. 52.) 

" It is sown a natural body, it shall rise a 
spiritual body." " For this corruptible must 
put on incorruption, and this mortal must put 
on immortality." (Ibid. 53.) 

As Christ is the Head and we the members, 
it is fitting that the members should partake of 
the immortality of the Head. 

" He will vivify your mortal bodies." (Rom. 
viii. 11.) 

" Death is swallowed up in victory." (I. Cor. 
xv. 54.) 

Christ has gained the victory over death. 

270. The Jews, for the most part, believed 
in the resurrection of the dead. Martha said 
of Lazarus : " I know that he will rise again at 
the last day." (John xi. 24.) 

Holy Job said : " I know that my Redeemer 
liveth, and that He will raise me up at the last 
day ; and that in my flesh I shall see God." 
(Job xix. 25.) 



3IO CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

271. As the body was the agent of the soul in 
its good or bad deeds in this world, it is fitting 
that it should share in the reward or punishment 
due to these deeds. It is only thus that every 
man can receive " the proper things of the body 
according as he hath done good or evil." (II. 
Cor. v. 10.) 

By the almighty power of God, Who made 
man from the dust of the earth, the identity of 
our bodies will be preserved in the resurrection, 
so that each will have substantially the same 
body he had on earth. 

The bodies of the just will be glorified and 
endowed with certain qualities that will make 
them more like spiritual substances, and fit them 
for heaven. They will be impassible, that is, 
incapable of suffering, and clarified with the 
light of glory. " It is sown in dishonor, it shall 
rise in glory." (I. Cor. xv. 41.) They will be 
agile, that is, swift in motion from place to 
place ; and subtile, that is, able to pass through 
other material objects. " It is sown a natural 
body, it shall rise a spiritual body." (Ibid. 44.) 

The bodies of the saints will be immortal, as 
their souls will never again be separated from 
them. They will no longer be subject to earthly 
conditions or the present. laws of material things. 
" And death shall be no more." (Apoc. xxi. 4.) 

272. The bodies of the damned will also be 



THE END OF THE WORLD. 3 1 I 

reunited to their souls and become immortal, 
but subject to all the pains and imperfections 
of mortal bodies. They will be keenly sensible 
of the fires of hell. They will be tortured by 
the fiercest and foulest desires, and will be true 
charnal houses of the soul. " They will have 
their portion in the pool burning with fire and 
brimstone, which is the second death." (Apoc. 
xxi. 8.) 

" And the rich man died, and he was buried 
in hell, and he said, I am tormented in this 
flame." ' (Luke xvi. 22.) 

70. 

THE END OF THE WORLD. 

273. The world will come to an end, and time 
will be no more. The present visible order of 
the universe will pass away in the final consumma- 
tion of all things. " Seeing that all these things 
are to be dissolved, . . . the heavens being on 
fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall 
melt with the burning heat. But we look for 
new heavens and a new earth in which justice 
dwelleth." (II. Peter iii. n, 15.) 

274. Many believe that the material universe 
will not be annihilated, but adapted in a new 
form to suit the new existence of the risen 
bodies of men. This new order will be in 



312 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

harmony with the order of eternity. " The 
figure of this world passeth away." (I. Cor. 
vii. 31.) 

At what time this consummation will take 
place, and what the new condition of the uni- 
verse will be, are unknown. 



71. 

SIGNS OF THE END. 

275. Although our Lord refused to reveal the 
time of his second coming and of the end of the 
world, He made known certain signs that would 
usher in these great events. " Many will come 
in My name, saying, 'I am He.' Go ye not 
after them." (Luke xxi. 8.) 

"Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the 
Gentiles. And there shall be signs in the 
sun and in the moon and in the stars. Men 
withering away with fear and expectation of 
what shall come on the whole world. For the 
powers of heaven shall be moved." (Luke xxi. 
24, etc.) 

" In those days, after that tribulation, the sun 
shall be darkened and the moon shall not give 
her light, and the stars of heaven shall be falling 
down. And then shall they see the Son of Man 
coming in the clouds with great power and 
glory." (Mark xiii. 24, etc.) 



SIGNS OF THE END. 313 

"Heaven and earth shall pass away; but the 
day or hour no man knoweth." (Mark xiii. 31.) 

276. It is the common belief of the faithful, 
that before the world comes to an end, the gospel 
will be preached to all nations, there will be a 
period of persecution, and many will fall away 
from the true faith, the Jews will be converted 
to Christianity, anti-Christ will reign for a few 
years, and the prophet Elias will appear again 
on earth. 

Of anti-Christ, St. Paul says : " Unless there 
come a revolt first, and the man of sin be re- 
vealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and 
is lifted up above all that is called God, so that 
he sitteth in the temple of God." ..." And then 
that wicked one shall be revealed whom the 
Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of His 
mouth, him whose coming is according to the 
working of Satan in all power and signs and 
lying wonders." (II. Thess. 11, 3, etc.) 

The end of the world will immediately follow 
the second coming of Christ, hence the opinion 
that Christ will reign a thousand years on earth 
before the final conflagration of all things and 
the general judgment, must be false. The place 
of the general judgment might fittingly be the 
scene of our Lord's crucifixion, or the valley of 
Jehosaphat ; but of this we have no certitude. 



314 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

THE GENERAL JUDGMENT. 

277. On the last day of time the Lord will 
come to judge the living and the dead. Christ 
will come in great power and majesty, surrounded 
by His angels. The last trumpet will sound and 
" angels will gather together the elect from the 
four winds." (Matt. xxiv. 31.) 

" All nations will be gathered together before 
Him, and He shall separate the good from the 
bad, as the shepherd divides the sheep from the 
goats." (Matt. xxv. 32.) 

To St. John was given a vision of this general 
judgment. " And I saw the dead, great and 
small, standing before the throne ; and the books 
were opened, and the dead were judged by what 
was written in the books, according to their 
works. And whoever was not found written in 
the book of life was cast into the pool of fire/ 
(Apoc. xx. 12, 15.) 

278. The angels will station the good, that is, 
those that are saved, on the right hand of the 
judgment seat, and the w T icked, that is, the lost, 
on the left hand ; and Christ will say to those 
on His right hand, " Come, ye blessed of my 
Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you 
from the foundation of the world. For I was 
hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty 
and you gave me to drink," etc. (Matt. xxv. 34.) 



THE GENERAL JUDGMENT. 31 5 

To those on His left hand Christ will say at 
the last day, " Depart from me, ye cursed, into 
everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil 
and his angels." (Ibid. 41.) 

" And these shall go into everlasting punish^ 
ment ; but the just into everlasting life." (Ibid. 

46.) 

When the wicked behold this eternal reward 
of the good, they will say to themselves in the 
bitter anguish of their souls : " These are they 
whom we held some time in derision. We fools 
esteemed their life madness. Behold how they 
are numbered among the children of God and 
their lot is among the saints." (Wis. v. 3.) 

279. Thus Christ will be glorified as the 
supreme judge of mankind. " For neither doth 
the Father judge any man ; but hath committed 
all judgment to the Son." (John v. 22.) 

The justice of God will be publicly vindicated 
in the presence of men and angels. The good 
will be publicly honored for their virtues and 
good works, and the wicked will be openly put 
to shame for their vices. God's dealings with 
men in this world are often obscure and some- 
times not apparently in accord with their deserts. 
This is owing in some measure to the limited 
view that finite minds must take cf the action 
of a God of infinite wisdom, whose designs em- 
brace eternity and future happiness, as well as 
time and worldly affairs. 



316 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

280. The providence of God often permits 
the good to suffer in this life, so that they may 
be tried, as it were, by fire, and made like unto 
Christ, who by suffering saved mankind, and 
that their reward may be greater in heaven. 
" Blessed are you when men revile you and per- 
secute you, and say all manner of evil against 
you falsely, for my sake ; rejoice and be exceed- 
ing glad, because your reward is very great in 
heaven." (Matt. v. n) 

The providence of God sometimes allows the 
wicked to prosper in this world, because of cer- 
tain natural virtues which they exercise and 
which tend to bring an earthly reward. Besides, 
perfect retribution belongs to eternity and not to 
time. " Woe to you who are rich, because you 
have your consolation. " (Luke vi. 24.) 

The wisdom of God and the justice of His 
providence will be made manifest by his action 
in the general judgment. 

281. A life of vice leads to eternal perdition; 
the practice of virtue will conduct us to life ever- 
lasting. This eternal life of happiness in heaven 
is not promised to faith alone, but to that faith 
which is vivified by charity and exhibited in 
good works. Faith and holy living will secure 
for us the end of our being ; to know, love, and 
serve God here and hereafter. " Love is the 
fulfilling of the law." (Rom. xiii. 10.) 



THE EIGHT BEATITUDES. 317 

73. 

WORKS OF MERCY. 

282. The seven spiritual works of mercy are : 
To give counsel to those in doubt. To instruct 
the ignorant. To admonish sinners. To com- 
fort the afflicted. To forgive injuries. To bear 
patiently with those that are troublesome. To 
pray for the living and the dead. 

The seven corporal works of mercy are : To 
feed the hungry. To give drink to the thirsty. 
To clothe the naked. To harbor the homeless. 
To help the sick. To visit the imprisoned. To 
bury the dead. 

74. 

THE EIGHT BEATITUDES. 

283. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs 
is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess 
the land. 

Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be 
comforted. 

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after 
justice, for they shall have their fill. 

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain 
mercy. 

Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall 
see God. 



3 I 8 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be 
called the children of God. 

Blessed are they that suffer persecution for 
justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, 
(Matt. v. 3-10.) 

75. 

THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. 

284. The faithful on earth, the souls in pur- 
gatory and the blessed in heaven form one 
religious society, called the Catholic Church. 
These three parts of the Church, militant, suf- 
fering and triumphant, are united by a common 
bond of charity and mutual benefit. This bond 
is called the Communion of Saints. The Church, 
being the mystic body of Christ, is a living or- 
ganism, all the members of which have a real 
and vital connection with each other. Through 
this connection comes that mutual interchange 
of good offices which is the fruit of the Com- 
munion of Saints. The faithful on earth are 
called saints, because they were sanctified in 
Baptism and have the means of holy living ever 
within their reach. 

285. That there is a bond of sympathy and 
union between the blessed in heaven and the 
faithful on earth, is evident from many passages 
of Scripture. The angels of heaven rejoice 
over one sinner doing penance. (Luke xv. 7.) 



THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. 319 

They are the active guardians of those com- 
mitted to their care ; (Matt, xviii. 10); and are 
solicitous for the salvation of the elect. (Heb. i. 
14.) The charity of the saints is not extin- 
guished by death, hence they continue to love 
their brethren on earth and to aid them by their 
prayers. Their charity is the more ardent be- 
cause they are nearer to God, the fountain of 
charity. 

286. In virtue of the Communion of Saints 
all the members of the Church on earth, in pur- 
gatory and in heaven, mutually benefit each 
other, and share in each other's spiritual goods. 
The faithful on earth, while in a state of grace, 
share in the good works of each other, in pro- 
portion to their faith and charity. Those dead 
in sin profit by the prayers of the faithful, but 
have no share in their merits till they are re- 
stored to a state of grace. Heretics who are 
cut off from the Church, do not belong to the 
Communion of Saints. 

We communicate with the souls in purgatory 
by fraternal charity, and by helping them by our 
suffrages. They communicate with us by grati- 
tude and prayers for us as their benefactors. 

We communicate with the saints in heaven by 
the honor which we pay them and by their inter- 
cession on our behalf. 



320 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

76. 

EXCOMMUNICATION. 

287. Excommunication is the exclusion of a 
baptized person from all or some of the privi- 
leges of a member of the Church. It is an ec- 
clesiastical censure inflicted on obstinate sinners 
as a medicinal chastisement with a view to their 
reformation and final salvation. 

Christ gave to the Church the power of dis- 
ciplining its members in this way. " If he does 
not hear them, tell the Church, and if he does 
not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the 
heathen and the publican. " (Matt, xviii. 17.) This 
power is included in the power of binding and 
loosing given to the Apostles and their suc- 
cessors. (Matt. xvi. 19.) The power of excom- 
municating is exercised by the Pope and by 
General Councils for the whole Church, and by 
Bishops in their dioceses. Superiors of religious 
orders of the clergy have this power over the 
members of their own order. 

Excommunication is either major or minor. 
The first excludes totally from all church 
privileges and sacraments ; the second, only par- 
tially. Minor excommunication was incurred by 
association with a person publicly excommuni- 
cated by name, and denounced as one to be 
avoided. This is no longer the case. 



PURGATORY. 321 

288. The Apostle Paul excommunicated the 
Corinthian sinner, that he might be brought to a 
proper sense of his guilt and return to a life of 
virtue, and also as an example for others. The 
corrupt member was cut off so that he might 
not infect the others. 

289. The object of excommunication is to 
punish the offender, to induce him to repent and 
seek reconciliation with the Church and to deter 
others from following his example. Only grave 
crimes, and such as are very injurious to the 
welfare of the Church and the faithful, are visited 
by major excommunication. 

77. 

PURGATORY. 

290. Purgatory is a place of purification where 
some souls are detained after death till they 
are fit for heaven. "My son, despise not the 
chastening of the Lord, nor faint under his 
reproot. For whom the Lord loveth he reproves 
and 'chastises every son he adopts.'' (Prov.iii. 11. 
Greek text.) It is called purgatory because souls 
therein are purged from venial sins, and from 
the minor effects of mortal sins. These effects 
are the temporal punishment due to divine justice 
even after the guilt of sin is remitted. 



322 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

That there is such a middle state of souls is 
an article of faith. 

" There is a purgatory, and the souls detained 
therein are helped by the suffrages of the faith- 
ful, and especially by the acceptable sacrifice of 
the altar." (Trent, sess. xxv.) 

291. The chief passages of Scripture from 
which is rightly inferred the existence of purga- 
tory are the following : 

" It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray 
for the dead that they be loosed from sins." 
(II Mach. xii. 46.) Nothing denied shall enter 
heaven. " There shall not enter into it anything 
defiled." (Apoc. xxi. 27.) " For the Son of Man 
shall come in the glory of his Father, and then 
he shall render to every man according to his 
works." (Matt xvi. 27.) "If any man's work 
burn, he shall suffer loss ; but he himself shall 
be saved, yet so as by fire." (I Cor. iii. 15.) 
" He that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, 
it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world 
nor in the world to come." (Matt. xii. 32.) 

From these texts of Scripture it is plain that 
some souls are detained by their sins on their 
way to heaven, and that we may help them by 
prayer and sacrifice ; that souls must be perfectly 
pure before they can enter heaven ; and that 
some sins are forgiven in the next life. Sins 
are not forgiven in hell, and those in sin cannot 



PURGATORY. 323 

enter heaven ; therefore, this forgiveness must 
take place in some intermediate place which we 
call purgatory. 

292. Most of the ancient liturgies have prayers 
for the dead, and indicate that the Holy Sacrifice 
of the altar was offered for both the living and 
the dead. 

From the second book of Machabees, xii. 12, 
it is evident that the Jews offered sacrifice for 
those slain in battle that they might be loosed 
from sin. St. Cyprian (Epist. 55 ad Anton) 
says : " It is one thing to be cleansed from sin 
by fire, and another to have our sins washed 
away by martyrdom." St. Isidore says that the 
doctrine of purgatory was handed down from 
the time of the Apostles. (De Eccl. Offic. I. 18.) 
St. Clement of Alexandria, speaking of some of 
the faithful departed, says : " And though the 
chastisements cease, they feel grief, that being 
worthy of another state, they are not with the 
glorified." (Strom, vi. 14.) Again he says: 
" We say that fire sanctifies not flesh but sinful 
souls, meaning discriminative, not destructive 
fire." (Strom, v. 6.) St. Gregory of Nysen 
teaches that " we must be purified in this life or 
after death in the furnace of purging fire." 
(Book iii. 498.) St. Jerome speaks of " souls who 
on account of the stains of vice, need the 
purging fires." (Comment on Amos iii. 7.) St. 



324 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Augustine offered up the Sacrifice of the Mass 
for the departed soul of his mother, Monica, and 
requested his readers to do the same. (Conf. ix. 
13.) St. Bernard says that " departed souls 
dwell in three different places ; hell, purgatory 
and paradise, according to their deserts." (Book 
xxv. p. 383, Guillon edition.) 

293. The doctrine of purgatory is in harmony 
with divine justice and human reason. It is 
certain that some souls depart from this life 
guilty of venial sins for which the eternal 
pains of hell would be an unjust punishment, 
and yet till this guilt is atoned for, they cannot 
enter heaven, because nothing defiled can enter 
there. There must, therefore, be a middle state, 
in which they are purified and made fit for the 
society of the angels and saints. At the judg- 
ment day all will be classed as either good 
or bad, whereas many depart this life who 
are neither perfect in goodness nor absolutely 
wicked. It is clear that there must be an in- 
termediate state in w r hich imperfect souls are 
amended so as to be classed among the good. 

294. Although it is not a defined article of 
faith, it is a very common pious belief that the 
pains of purgatory are similar to the pains of 
hell in everything except duration. u The fire 
that consumes the dross refines the gold," says 
St. Augustine. They are, however, sweetened 



PURGATORY. 325 

by the knowledge that through them is the way 
to heaven, and that they are the effects of the 
love and not of the wrath of God. They are 
tempered by the solace of hope and the sense 
of security from sin. They are, therefore, borne 
with perfect patience and resignation to the will 
of God. Many of the horrors of hell are absent, 
the demons holding no sway in purgatory. 

295. The suffrages of the faithful by which 
the souls in purgatory are helped are, the Holy 
Sacrifice of the Mass, the application of indul- 
gences, prayers and other good works. These 
holy souls can help us by their prayers, although 
unable in any way to help themselves, " for the 
night has come upon them when no man can 
work." (John ix. 4.) It is, therefore, the great- 
est charity, and useful to them and to us, to 
pray for the dead. Our prayers for the suffering 
souls will move God to have mercy on us. 
" Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain 
mercy." When these holy souls finally enter 
heaven they will especially intercede for those 
who have helped them in their sufferings. By 
their prayers they will assuage the pains of pur- 
gatory and shorten the time of purification. 

296. Meditation on purgatory moves us to do 
penance for our sins in this life, so as to avoid 
or lessen the satisfaction to be made in the next 
life. Sinners who return to a life of virtue after 



326 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

a long career of vice, but who have not time to 
make amends for their sins, have their hope of 
pardon strengthened at the hour of death by the 
thought of purgatory. 

The doctrine of purgatory fosters charity for 
the souls departed, causes us to repent of our 
ingratitude, turns our thoughts to the next world 
and reminds us of death. It also inspires us 
with a greater horror of venial sins, which are so 
severely punished in purgatory. 

297. It is certain that purgatory will cease to 
exist on the day of the general judgment at the 
end of the world. The length of time that souls 
suffer therein is not known. From the custom 
of the church in offering requiem masses for 
certain souls annually for many years, we con- 
clude that, in some cases at least, the time of 
suffering may be very long. The length of our 
purgatory will be, of course, in proportion to the 
gravity and number of our sins, and the tempo- 
ral penalty remaining due to divine justice at 
the hour of our death. 



APPENDIX. 



MIRACLES. 

1. A miracle is an effect that cannot be 
produced by any created cause, and is brought 
about by divine power, beyond the ordinary 
course of nature. A miracle is effected by the 
temporary suspension of some natural law in a 
particular case. The Author of the laws of 
nature can certainly suspend them in particu- 
lar cases, and history shows that He has often 
done so. Only those who deny the omnipotence 
of God can deny the possibility of miracles. 
All real miracles are wrought by God or by 
power that comes from God. God sometimes 
uses human agents and even material things in 
working miracles. 

2. The principal object of miracles is to at- 
test the divine mission of a religious teacher or 
to confirm the doctrines taught by him. If God 
empowers a teacher of religion to work miracles 
in proof of the doctrine he teaches, He sanc- 
tions and vouches for the truth of the doctrines 
so taught. 

3. We may doubt a particular miracle if the 
fact is not sufficiently proved, but we must 

227 



328 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

believe that the power of working miracles 
always exists in the Church, and is sometimes 
exercised. God does not ordinarily work mira- 
cles for the mere good of the individual, but 
for His own glory, the spread of the true faith 
and the edification of the faithful. It is our 
duty in sickness to use natural means and to 
hope for miracles only when these fail, and even 
then to expect them only rarely. 

Those who tamper with magic arts or have 
recourse to spiritists or hypnotists, expose them- 
selves to having dealings with the devil, and to 
being deluded into evil by his deceits. 

2. 

SACRED RELICS. 

4. The wood of the Cross of Christ, the 
bodies of departed saints, or portions thereof, 
are sacred relics of the first order. 

The veneration of these holy relics is a pious 
action approved by the Church. " The holy 
bodies of martyrs and saints are worthy of ven- 
eration, because they w T ere the living members of 
Christ and the temple of the Holy Ghost, and 
will be raised up to eternal life and glorified; 
and because God through them has bestowed 
many favors on the faithful." (Trent, sess. xxv.) 

5. That God sometimes works miracles 
through material things belonging to holy men 



SACRED RELICS. 329 

is evident from Scripture. A sick woman was 
cured by touching the hem of Our Lord's gar- 
ment. ( Matt. ix. 22.) The sick were cured by 
being touched with the handkerchiefs and aprons 
of St. Paul. (Acts xix. 12.) A dead man was 
restored to life on being thrown upon the bones 
of the prophet Eliseus. (IV. Kings xiii. 21.) 
History records many miracles wrought at the 
tombs of the martyrs or by the touch of holy 
relics. 

6. The relics of the martyrs were held in 
great honor by the early Christians. This is 
proved by the care with which they preserved 
and the fervor with which they venerated them. 
The monuments they erected to serve as shrines 
for these relics, and the annual commemoration 
held at these shrines, show the high esteem in 
which they were held. The Mass was offered 
on their tombs in their honor. 

7. We preserve and highly prize whatever 
reminds us of those we love or revere. We 
gather mementos of our departed parents and 
friends. Nations erect monuments to their 
heroes and statesmen. It is natural that Chris- 
tians should reverence the remains of the saints 
which are to them memorials of their virtues 
and of the fact that they were the faithful servants 
of God, and are the beloved of Our Lord and 
the partakers of the bliss and glory of heaven. 



330 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE, 

3. 

SACRAMENTALS. 

8. The Sign of the Cross is made in two 
ways. The faithful make the sign of the Cross on 
the forehead, lips and breast to signify that they 
have faith in Christ crucified, confess him with 
their mouths and love him in their hearts. The 
more usual way of making the sign of the Cross 
is to carry the right hand from the forehead to 
the breast, and then from the left to the right 
shoulder, saying at the same time, " In the name 
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Ghost. Amen." This practice was already tra- 
ditional in the Church in the time of Tertullian. 
De. Cor. Mil. III. 

9. The sign of the Cross is the emblem of 
Christianity. It distinguishes the Christian from 
the followers of all other forms of religion. It 
is the symbol of Jesus Christ crucified. 

The sign of the Cross made with the words 
given above reminds us of the great mysteries of 
religion. The Trinity, the Incarnation and the 
Redemption are clearly thus indicated. It was 
on the Cross that Christ suffered for our sins, 
and it was by His Cross that He entered into 



SACRAMENTALS. 33 1 

glory, and it is with this sign that He shall come 
at the last day to judge the world. 

10. The Church uses the sign of the Cross on 
her temples and altars, on her sacred vestments 
and vessels. With it she begins her prayers, 
confers her blessings and administers her Sacra- 
ments. 

The sign of the Cross made with piety and 
reverence draws the soul to God, drives away 
temptations and is a terror to demons. 

Understanding the significance and value of 
this sacred sign, we will always make it with 
due gravity, care and reverence. 

We should glory in the Cross of Christ. In 
the Cross is safety. In this sign we shall con- 
quer. Christ gained the victory over sin, Satan 
and death by His passion on the Cross. 

We should make the sign of the Cross fre- 
quently, especially before an/1 after prayers and 
meals and in time of temptation. 

ii. We should have the Crucifix in our cham- 
bers, and carry it on our persons. It reminds us 
of the passion and death of Christ, and moves 
us to be truly sorry for our sins. The sight of 
the Crucifix sweetens our sufferings, fortifies our 
patience and makes us grateful for the mercy of 
God, who sent His only Son to pay the penalty 
for our sins, and thus become our redeemer. 
The* Crucifix is an open book that learned and 



332 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

unlearned may read with profit. It is a short 
sermon full of weighty matter for meditation. 

The Cross is the tree of life. It is the stand- 
ard under which the Christian soldier wins the 
victory over his own passions and the tempta- 
tions of the devil. 

12. In a figurative sense the Cross means suf- 
fering. We should bear our Cross in imitation 
of Christ. "If any man wishes to be my dis- 
ciple," says Christ, "let him deny himself, and 
take up his cross, and follow me." (Matt. xvi. 
24.) " Such as I love, I rebuke and chastise." 
(Apoc. iii. 19.) St, Paul says, " God forbid that 
I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to 
me and I to the world." (Gall. vi. 14.) 

We must share in the Cross of Christ if we 
wish to share in His glory. 



4. 



13. The Holy Oils are olive oil blessed by a 
Bishop, with solemn rite, on Holy Thursday. 
They are used in consecrating churches, altars, 
chalices, &c, and in the administration of some 
of the Sacraments. 

They are of three kinds, viz. : Baptismal Oil, 
Chrism, and the Oil for the sick, used in giving 
Extreme Unction. 



SACRAMENT ALS. 333 

A little balsam is mixed with olive oil in the 
ceremony of Holy Thursday to form Chrism. 
Baptismal oil is also called "oil of Catechumens, 
because it is used in the baptism of adult con- 
verts to the faith. It is also used in the baptism 
of infants when the priest is the minister and the 
rite is solemn. The person about to be baptized 
is anointed with this Oil, in the form of a cross, 
on the breast and between the shoulders. 

Chrism is used in the Consecration of Bishops, 
altars, &c, and in Confirmation. It is also used 
in Baptism. After the person is baptized, he is 
anointed with chrism on the crown of the head. 

The mixture of oil and balsam has a figurative 
sense. It indicates the strength and courage of 
the soldier of Christ and the sweet odor of virtue. 

In the Old Law the high-priest and the kings 
of Judea were consecrated by pouring oil on 
their heads. 

14. Holy .Water is natural water blessed by 
the priest according to the form given in the 
Roman ritual. This is usually done before the 
High Mass every Sunday. The priest in reciting 
the form of blessing makes the sign of the cross 
over the water and mingles with it a little salt that 
has been previously blessed. As salt preserves 
from corruption, this ceremony indicates the salu- 
tary effects of Holy Water. 

The faithful are sprinkled with Holy Water 



334 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

before the High Mass on Sunday, to indicate the 
purity of heart with which they should assist at 
the sacred mysteries. It is kept in stoops at 
church doors, so that they may sprinkle them 
selves with it on entering the church at any 
time. In the early ages of Christianity it was 
usual for the faithful to wash their hands in 
lavers kept in the church porch, on entering to 
assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. 

This ceremony had the same signification as 
the sprinkling of Holy Water. 

Holy Water reminds us of Baptism by which 
we were first made children of the Church. 

People keep it in their houses, and sprinkle 
themselves and their dwelling with it, having 
faith in the efficacy of the prayers of the Church 
with which it is blessed, and which clearly justify 
them in hoping that by the sacred character 
given to it by the benediction of the Church and 
by their own pious use of it in the name of God, 
it will chase away evil spirits, ward off pestilence 
and drive far from them and their homes the 
snares of the enemy of souls. 

Pope Alexander I., who reigned not many 
years after St. Peter, mentions the laudable use 
of Holy Water in one of his letters. This shows 
the great antiquity of this pious practice. Indeed 
this usage may be said to be modelled on the 
Jewish use of lustral water which purified from 



SACR AMENTALS. 335 

certain legal defilements mentioned in the law of 
Moses. 

Holy Water is used in blessing church vest- 
ments, religious articles and also in the burial of 
the dead. 

15. Candles blessed on the feast of the Puri- 
fication are carried lighted in religious proces- 
sions, and are used on the altar and in adminis- 
tering the Sacraments. They remind us that 
our Saviour is the light of the world, 

16. Ashes are blessed on Ash Wednesday 
and sprinkled on the foreheads of the people to 
remind them that they are but dust, and into 
dust they shall return. This tends to foster that 
humility and spirit of mortification with which 
the faithful should begin the holy season of 
Lent. 

17. Palms are blessed on Palm Sunday and dis- 
tributed to the people to be held in their hands 
during the Mass of that day and carried to their 
homes. They remind us of the triumphal entry 
of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem just before His 
crucifixion. Some of these palms are preserved 
and burned to provide the ashes to be blessed 
on Ash Wednesday. 

18. The Agnus Dei is a wafer cut from 
sheets of beeswax on which is stamped the 
figure of a lamb with a cross above it These 



336 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

tablets are blessed by the Pope on Low Sunday 
every seventh year. They are. carried about the 
person by the faithful as tokens of the ever 
watchful providence of God that surrounds us. 
As the sign of the cross is a terror to demons 
and the Lamb of God has rescued us from the 
power of the devil, the Church in blessing these 
tablets prays that those who keep them in a 
spirit of piety may be safe from the fury of the 
elements and the assaults of the wicked one. 

The Agnus Dei reminds us of the Lamb slain 
from the foundation of the world, and of the 
meekness, innocence, and sacrifice of the Son of 
God, the paschal Lamb. 

It reminds us also of the words of John the 
Baptist when he beheld Christ coming to him : 
"Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who 
taketh away the sin of the world." (John i. 29.) 
These words being also used by the priest in 
giving communion, remind us of the treasure we 
have in the Blessed Eucharist. 

5. 

RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS. 

19. Festivals, commonly called Holydays, are 
certain days devoted by the Church to religious 
exercises, in honor of some mystery of the faith 
or of Christ and His Saints. The Jews follow- 



RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS. 337 

ing the Mosaic ritual, observed many Holydays, 
the chief of which were the Pasch, Pentecost 
and the Feast of Tabernacles. 

The Christian Festivals serve to recall to our 
minds the great events of Christianity, the chief 
truths of our holy religion, the Blessed Virgin 
Mary, the Martyrs and other Saints. 

They enable us by the leisure they bring to 
give more time to the worship of God and the 
reception of the Sacraments. 

They also serve to enliven the faith and foster 
the piety of the people, and to refresh their 
souls with holy joy and pious meditation. 

20. Some of these Festivals fall on the 
same day of the month every year, and others 
depending on the time of Easter, which changes 
each year, are variable in date. 

The Ascension, for example, always falls on 
the fortieth day after Easter. 

21. Some Festivals are Holydays of obligation ; 
that is, days on which the faithful are bound to 
abstain from servile works and hear Mass as on 
Sundays. The number of Holydays is not the 
same in all countries. In this country the Holy- 
days are, The Circumcision, Jan. 1, The Assump- 
tion, Aug. 15, All Saints Day, Nov. 1, The 
Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, Christmas, Dec. 
25, and The Ascension of Our Lord. On the 
other festivals which do not fall on Sunday, many 



338 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

of the faithful, prompted by piety and devotion, 
assist at Mass of their own accord. 

The Church in modern times, owing to the 
busy habits of the people and because of the duties 
which laboring men owe to their employers and to 
.their own families, has lessened the number of 
Holydays of obligation. The solemnity is in 
many cases transferred to the Sunday following 
the day of the ancient festival. 

22. Advent is a penitential time of preparation 
for Christmas, and extends from the Sunday 
nearest the feast of St. Andrew, Nov. 30, to the 
25 th of December. There are always four 
Sundays in Advent, and a little more than three 
weeks. 

Advent in a figurative sense indicates the four 
thousand years which preceded the coining 
of the Messiah. The Church preaches penance 
in a more urgent manner during this season, 
and frequently recalls the words of St. John 
the Baptist, " Do penance, the Kingdom of 
heaven is at hand.*' (Matt. iii. 2.) "Prepare 
ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. 
All flesh shall see the salvation of God." (Luke 
iii. 4-6.) To mark this penitential time she 
uses purple vestments in her offices, and omits 
the Gloria in Excelsis and the Te Deum. 

23. The gospel of the first Sunday of Advent 
torewarns the faithful of the second coming of 



RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS. 339 

Our Lord at the end of the world, so that this 
holy season is a reminder of the coming of our 
Saviour and the coming of our judge. All this 
is intended to prepare us by holy living and 
pious exercises, for the worthy celebration of the 
Nativity of our Lord. 

In the anthems chanted or recited during the 
last week of Advent Our Lord is addressed in 
the language of the prophets as " Wisdom pro- 
ceeding from the mouth of the Most High " ; as 
" Lord God, the head of the rfouse of Israel " ; 
as " The root of Jesse, the standard of the 
people " ; as the " Key of David that opens 
where none can shut and shuts where none can 
open " ; as the " Orient, sun of justice " ; as the 
" King of the nations,'' and as " Emmanuel, the 
lawgiver, desired of the people." 

6. 

24. CHRISTMAS DAY, Dec. 25, commemo- 
rates annually the Birth of Jesus Christ, and is 
xalled the Nativity of Our Lord. This event was 
the first public step in the work of our redemp- 
tion. Its commemoration is, therefore, marked 
with joy and gladness. 

The vigil or eve of Christmas is a fast day. 
In some places a Mass is said at midnight on 
this vigil, in memory of' the fact that Christ was 
born at that hour. 



340 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

25. On Christmas Day each priest is allowed 
to say three Masses ; the first after midnight, in 
honor of the eternal generation of the Son of 
God ; the second at the break of day, in honor of 
His birth into this world, and the third after 
sunrise, in honor of His spiritual birth in the 
hearts of the faithful. Although there is no 
obligation either to celebrate or to hear three 
Masses on Christmas Day, fervent piety prompts 
many to do so. 

In former times the Popes celebrated these 
three Masses in three different churches ; the first 
at midnight in St. Mary Major's, the second at 
daybreak in the Church of St. Anastasia, and 
the third in the Basilica of St. Peter. 

The use of flesh meat is allowed on Christmas 
Day even when it falls on Friday. 

During the chanting of the words of the 
Creed — et incarnatus est — in the Mass of 
Christmas, both the celebrant and the assistants 
kneel, in token of humility inspired by the 
abasement of the Son of God in taking on him- 
self our human nature. 

26. The Circumcision of Our Lord, Jan. 1, 
is a festival in commemoration of the giving 
to Christ the name of Jesus on the eighth day 
after his birth. This holy name was heaven- 
sent, and was made known to the Blessed Virgin 
Mary by the Angel Gabriel at the time of the 



RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS. 34I 

Incarnation. This festival is the octave of the 
Nativity, and always falls on New Year's Day. 
The religious observance of this day served in 
some degree to diminish the disorders and fool- 
ish revelries with which the pagans marked the 
first day of the new year. Circumcision was 
a Jewish rite whereby a person was affiliated to 
the family of Abraham. 

In being circumcised Our Lord submitted to 
the law of Moses, and thus set us an example of 
obedience, suffering and humility. In this pain- 
ful ceremony his blood was first shed. 

27. The holy name of Jesus, which means 
Saviour, is w T orthy of the utmost reverence. 
" There is no other name under heaven whereby 
men must be saved." (Acts iv. 12.) We should 
always pronounce this name with profound re- 
spect, and never profane it by ill-use. " In the 
name of Jesus every knee should bow." (Phil, 
ii. 10.) This adorable name, in pronouncing 
which the faithful bow the head, is a terror even 
to the demons. We should devoutly invoke 
the name of Jesus in times of danger, and es- 
pecially at the hour of death. 

28. The Epiphany, Jan. 6, is celebrated in 
memory of the revelation of Christ as the Son 
of God made to the gentiles in the person of the 
Magi. It is also called Twelfth Day because 
it falls on the twelfth day after Christmas. On 



342 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

this day we honor the " wise men of the East," 
who, guided by a miraculous star, came to Beth- 
lehem and offered gifts of gold, frankincense 
and myrrh to the child Jesus, whom they adored 
as the new-born King of the world. On this 
day all the nations of the earth were called to 
the true faith. . This manifestation of the divin- 
ity of Our Lord recalls two other manifesta- 
tions : that of His Sonship in the Blessed 
Trinity, which took place at His baptism in the 
Jordan ; and that of His almighty power when at 
the marriage feast of Cana He turned water into 
wine. 

Prayers for the propagation of the faith among 
heathen nations are most appropriate on this 
day. " The Kings of Tharsis and of the isles 
shall offer him presents ; the Kings of Arabia 
and Saba shall bring him gifts. All kings shall 
worship Him, and all the gentiles shall serve 
Him." (Psalm 71.) 

29. The relics of three of the Magi, named 
Gaspar, Melchoir and Balthazar, are preserved 
in the Cathedral of Cologne. The Magi were 
probably from Chaldea, learned in astronomy, 
and acquainted with the prophecy of Balaam : 
" A star shall rise out of Jacob, a man shall come 
forth from Israel." (Num. xxiv. 17.) 

30. The Purification of the Blessed Virgin 
Mary, Feb. 2, is a double commemoration. The 



RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS. 343 

day on which the Mother of Christ obeyed the 
Jewish law regarding purification after child 
birth, she also presented the infant Jesus in the 
temple at Jerusalem and redeemed him as laid 
down in the law of Moses. (Exod. xiii. 2.) At that 
time there was in the temple a holy man named 
Simeon who had a revelation that he would hot 
die till he had seen the Messiah. Inspired by 
the Holy Ghost, he took the child Jesus in his 
arms, and said : " Now thou dost dismiss thy 
servant, O Lord, in peace ; because my eyes 
have seen salvation for all the people." "A 
light to the revelation of the gentiles, and the 
glory of thy people Israel." (Luke ii. 32.) 

31. It is because of this fact that Christ is the 
light of the world, that the Church on this day 
blesses the candles to be used on the altar. 
The lighted candle is a figure of Christ. Hence 
this festival is called Candlemas day. These 
candles are of beeswax, and are carried in 
church processions and reserved by the faithful 
in their homes to be lighted on religious occa- 
sions, such as the anointing of the sick or the 
giving of Holy Communion. 

32. On Palm Sunday is commemorated the 
triumphal entrance of Our Lord into Jerusalem, 
just before His passion and death. 

Palms are blessed and distributed to the people 
on that day to remind them of the fact that when 



344 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Christ entered Jerusalem for the last time the 
Jews strewed palm branches in his way, and 
accompanied him in procession exclaiming : 
" Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he 
that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna 
in the highest." (Matt. xxi. 9.) 

In some churches the Passion of Our Lord, 
that is, the portion of Scripture that describes the 
passion and death of Christ, is solemnly chanted 
at Mass by the Celebrant, Deacon, and Sub- 
deacon. All kneel at the words, " He gave up 
the Ghost." 

33. The hymn " Vexilla Regis " is sung at ves- 
pers during passiontide and in the procession of 
Palm Sunday in cathedral churches. " Behold 
the standard of the King. David's prophecy, that 
from a tree God would rule the world, is fulfilled. 
O lovely tree, bright with the royal purple of 
his blood, happy thy lot to bear such sacred 
load. Blessed the arms on which reclined the 
Saviour of the world, the balance on which was 
weighed the ransom of the human race. Hail, 
holy Cross, our only hope ; to sinners grant 
release of guilt, to saints increase of grace and 

joy." 

7. 

34. EASTER SUNDAY is the day on which 
the Church commemorates the Resurrection of 



RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS. 345 

Our Lord from the dead. The period of forty 
days of fasting and penance that precedes Easter 
is called Lent. Holy Week is the last week 
of Lent during which the ceremonies of Holy 
Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday oc- 
cur. These are the solemn blessing of the Oils, 
the veneration of the Cross and the blessing of 
the Baptismal Water and the Paschal Candle. 

Easter falls on the Sunday after the fourteenth 
day of the moon that is new in March. This is 
the chief festival of the ecclesiastical year, as it 
is held in honor of the most glorious event in the 
history of religion. 

35. By raising himself from the dead, Christ 
triumphed over all his enemies, and gave the most 
convincing proof of his divinity. He foretold his 
resurrection. " The Son of Man shall be three 
days and three nights in the heart of the earth." 
(Matt. xii. 40.) Speaking of the temple of His 
body He said, " Destroy this temple and in three 
days I will raise it up." (John ii. 19.) " On the 
third day he shall rise again." (Matt. xx. 19.) 
" I lay down my life that I may take it again. I 
have power to lay it down and take it up again." 
(John x. 18.) 

The sepulchre of Christ was sealed up and 
guarded by Jewish soldiers. 

The Resurrection of Christ was a miracle, that 
is, something beyond the power of any created 



346 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

being to effect. Christ by his divine power 
recalled his soul to his body and arose from the 
tomb glorious and immortal. He appeared fre- 
quently to his Apostles and Disciples after His 
resurrection ; and to cure the doubting mind of 
St. Thomas, allowed him to touch the wounds in 
his hands and side. 

36. The festival of Easter is celebrated with 
the utmost pomp and splendor as becomes this 
joyful occasion. 

The Paschal Candle, blessed on Holy Saturday 
and lighted during the Easter time at all solemn 
Masses, is a memorial of the column of fire by 
night and cloud by day that preceded the Isra- 
elites on their journey to the promised land. 
(Exod. xiii. 21.) It is also an emblem of Christ. 

The true significance of this festival is well 
expressed in the gradual and sequence of the 
Easter liturgy. " This is the day the Lord hath 
made : let us rejoice and be glad. Christ our 
pasch is immolated." 

" Let Christians offer praise to the Paschal 
victim. The lamb has redeemed the flock. The 
sinless Christ has reconciled sinners to his Fa- 
ther. Death and life waged a wondrous conflict. 
The Lord of life by dying lives and reigns. 
Christ our hope is risen. O Victorious King, be 
merciful unto us. Amen. Alleluia." 

The Resurrection of Christ is the model of our 



RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS. 347 

spiritual regeneration and the pledge of our 
immortality.^ 

37. The Ascension commemorates the ascend- 
ing of Our Lord into heaven forty days after His 
resurrection. In the presence of His Blessed 
Mother and of a multitude of his disciples, the 
risen Christ ascended into heaven from Mount 
Olivet. 

" And while they were beholding him going up 
into heaven, behold two men in white garments 
stood by them and said : This Jesus who is taken 
up from you into heaven, shall come again as you 
have seen him going into heaven ! " (Acts i. to.) 

The souls of the just who were detained in 
Limbo entered heaven with Christ at His ascen- 
sion. 

The paschal candle is extinguished after the 
gospel on this festival, to indicate that Christ is 
no longer on the earth, but has returned to the 
bosom of His Father. 

The gates of heaven are now open to all souls 
who depart this life in the grace of God. Christ 
in heaven enjoys that glory which He merited by 
His life and suffering on earth, and is constantly 
interceding with His Father for the salvation of 
sinners. He prepares places in Heaven for all 
His faithful servants, and will welcome them with 
fraternal affection into the mansions of eternal 
bliss. 



348 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 



8. 

38. PENTECOST commemorates the coming 
of the Holy Ghost on the Apostles in the form 
of tongues as of fire. 

This event took place fifty days after the 
Resurrection of Our Lord. Hence the name, 
which means fiftieth. It always falls on the 
fiftieth day after Easter. 

Christ while still on earth, promised to send 
the Holy Ghost to abide with His apostles. " I 
will ask the Father and He will give you an- 
other Paraclete, that He may abide with you 
forever." (John xiv. 16.) " But when He, the 
Spirit of truth is come, He will teach you all 
truth." (John xxi. 13.) 

While the Apostles, the Blessed Virgin Mary, 
and other holy women, together with the seventy- 
two disciples, were persevering in fasting and 
prayer, in an upper chamber in Jerusalem, ten 
days after the Ascension of Our Lord, this 
promise was fulfilled. " Suddenly there came a 
sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind, and 
there appeared to them cloven tongues, as it were, 
of fire, and sat upon every one of them. And 
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and 
began to speak with divers tongues." (Acts ii. 
2-4.) 



RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS. 349 

39. On this day the final step in the estab- 
lishment of the Church was taken by impart- 
ing to the Apostles the fulness of the sevenfold 
gifts of the Holy Ghost. 

The Holy Ghost abiding with the Catholic 
Church forever, is the animating spirit that gives 
vigor and efficacy to her action, fortifies her 
against persecution and leads her into all truth. 

" The Holy Ghost will teach you all truth, and 
bring to your mind all that I have said to you." 
(John xiv. 26.) The Holy Ghost guides and 
teaches the Church, gives patience and fortitude 
to the martyrs and sanctifies the saints. 

40. In the Mass of Pentecost Sunday, we 
worship the Holy Ghost in a special manner. 
This is clearly shown in the sequence of the 
Mass of that day, Veni, Sancte Spiritus, of 
which the following is a paraphrase. 

" Come, Holy Ghost, thy Light from Heaven 
send. Giver of all gifts, dearest guest of the 
^oul, solace and strength of the faithful, give us 
rest from strife and peace of mind. 

" Without Thy divine influence there is nothing 
good in man. Cleanse the sordid, soften the 
hardened, and heal the wounded soul. Bend 
our stubborn will, inflame our cold hearts, and 
turn our erring steps aright. 

" Give to the faithful trusting in Thee, Thy 
sevenfold gifts. Give them the reward of 



350 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

their virtues, final salvation and eternal happi- 
ness." 

This feast is also called Whitsunday, because 
on that day the Catechumens, who were bap- 
tized the evening before, assisted at Mass, 
clothed in white garments. 

41 . Corpus Christi is a festival in honor of 
the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucha- 
rist. It is celebrated on the first Thursday after 
Trinity, which is the Sunday after Pentecost. 
The institution of the Blessed Sacrament is 
commemorated annually on Holy Thursday. In 
addition to this, the Church, in the thirteenth 
century, began to observe this special festival in 
honor of the Holy Eucharist. 

The solemnity was first introduced by the 
Bishop of Liege, in 1246, and was sanctioned 
for the whole church by Urban IV., in 1264. 
St. Thomas, by order of the Pope, composed 
the office for this festival. The procession of 
the Blessed Sacrament, which takes place that 
day with the greatest possible solemnity and 
splendor, was ordered by Clement V. 

42. The faithful on this day, following the 
impulse given by the Church, exert themselves 
to the utmost to give grandeur, dignity and 
magnificence to this procession, in order to show 
their lively faith in the Real Presence of Our 
Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, in the most 



RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS. 351 

public manner. In Catholic countries the pro- 
cession takes place out of doors ; with us it is 
confined to the aisles of the church, except in 
the case of convents or academies having exten- 
sive and secluded grounds. Surpliced acolytes 
and white-robed maidens precede the canopy 
under which the priest in rich vestments, carries 
the Blessed Sacrament. Flowers are strewn in 
the way, and the houses on the route are hung 
with tapestries, or decorated with green branches 
and garlands of flowers. All the spectators 
kneel in adoration as the procession passes. 
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is given 
at some shrine on the way, and in the church on 
returning there. 

43. During the procession the Pange lingua 
is chanted. This hymn, the work of St. Thomas, 
the Angel of the schools, is remarkable for its 
happy union of the most accurate doctrinal 
teaching with poetic diction and fervid devotion, 
The O Salutaris Hostia and Tantum Prgo, sung 
at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, are 
taken from the office of this day. 

" O saving host that openeth the gates of 
heaven, repel the assaults of the enemy. Give 
us strength and grant us aid.'' 

" By being born a man, Christ became our 
brother ; by dying, our ransom ; reigning, our 
reward ; in this Holy Banquet He is the food 
of our souls." 



352 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

" On bended knees we adore this great Sacra- 
ment. To the new rite ancient types give way. 
Faith supplies the defect of the senses." 

" The Word that became flesh is here under the 
species of bread. Almighty power hath wrought 
the change. " 



9. 



44* THE FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART 

of Our Lord, was established in 1765. This was 
the result of a widespread devotion to the 
Sacred Humanity of Our Lord which had gradu- 
ally grown up in the Church. 

This devotion is closely allied to the worship 
of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist, in which 
He is present, His divinity and His humanity 
being united in one adorable Person. 

The union of the divine and the human 
nature in Christ is of such a character that they 
form but one divine person, and therefore but 
one object of adoration. This union is known 
as the hypostatic union. By it the two natures 
are so inseparably united that, by a kind of 
inter-communication, the attributes of either are 
rightly ascribed to the Divine Person of Christ. 

Hence we say, indifferently, Son of man or 
Son of God, always meaning thereby, Christ ; 
His humanity in the one case being the more 



RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS. 353 

vividly present in our thought, and His divinity 
in the other. 

We cannot worship the divinity of Christ with- 
out at the same time worshipping His humanity, 
nor His humanity without worshipping His 
divinity. Nor do we ever worship His humanity 
as separated from His divinity, nor His divinity 
as separated from His humanity, because, in fact, 
they are never found separate one from the other. 

45. The heart is one of the chief organs of the 
body and is essential to its life. It is popularly 
regarded as the seat of the affections and is 
taken as a symbol of love. The loving heart of 
Jesus is adored as the heart of the person of 
Christ in which person His human nature and 
divine nature are hypostatically united. There- 
fore, we adore the Sacred Heart of Christ 
because it is the heart of the Divine Word 
Incarnate. The Heart of Jesus is, therefore, 
truly an object of worship. 

We do not, nor can we in this devotion, con- 
ceive of the ever living heart of Our Lord as 
separated from His Divine Person. 

Regarded mystically, the Heart of Jesus most 
fittingly signifies divine charity. 

It speaks of love, and evokes love in return. 
The heart is the organ that directly and prima- 
rily responds to the sentiments and emotions of 
che soul. The Church sanctions those figurative 



354 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

expressions by which the Heart of Jesus is 
represented as inflamed with love for man, and 
full of mercy and compassion for sinners. 

We worship Christ as the God-man, and never 
as man alone apart from His divinity ; so we 
worship the Heart-Divine, but never the heart 
alone apart from the Divine nature. 

46. The devotion to the Sacred Heart may 
be truly regarded as providential in our times, 
when the enemy of souls is so active in devising 
new wiles by which to sunder the loving relations 
that should exist between man and his Creator 
and Redeemer. 

The practice of this devotion, with its attend- 
ant graces and indulgences, is most efficacious 
in reconciling God and man, bringing sinners to 
repentance through charity, the queen of virtues. 
It presents Our Lord to us as a loving Father, 
impels us to return love for love, and to repair 
the injuries done to God by profanation of the 
Holy Eucharist, and other sacrileges. It inspires 
us with a holy zeal for the glory of God, the 
spread of the true faith and the welfare of the 
Catholic Church. 

47. Michaelmas, Sept. 29, is a feast in honor 
of the Archangel Michael, prince of the heavenly 
host, who in the rebellion of Lucifer remained 
faithful to God and cast Satan and the fallen 
angels out of heaven. 



FESTIVALS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 355 

" And there was a great battle in heaven ; 
Michael and his angels fought with the dragon 
and his angels. And the latter prevailed not, 
neither was their place found any more in 
heaven." (Apoc. xii. 7.) 

48. All Saints Day, Nov. i, is a festival in 
honor of all the saints of heaven, especially of 
those who have no special festival during the 
year. 

49. All Souls Day, Nov. 2, is kept in com- 
memoration of all the souls who have departed this 
life in the sign of faith and in the grace of God. 

For such of these as are detained in purga- 
tory, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered 
on that day, in order that, by the great atone- 
ment of the Cross, their sins may be blotted out, 
and they may be admitted to the place of eternal 
rest and perpetual light and happiness, 



10. 



FESTIVALS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN 
MARY. 

50. The Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, 
calls to mind the fact that the Blessed Virgin 
Mary, in view of her high office of Mother of 
God, was, in the very instant of her conception, 
kept free from the guilt of original sin. She 



356 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

was the only descendant of Adam that enjoyed 
this exemption from the sinful state into which 
the whole human race was plunged by the fall of 
our first parents. 

This privilege was bestowed upon our Blessed 
Lady, in view of the future merits of her divine 
son, Jesus Christ. 

51. It was fitting that she who was to give 
birth to the Son of God who was to atone for 
the sins of mankind, should herself be ever 
sinless. It was proper that the Mother of the 
great foe and conqueror of the devil should 
never have been under the sway of the wicked 
one. 

It is inconceivable that the spouse of the 
Holy Ghost should have ever been soiled by the 
slightest stain of sin. The Mother of God 
could never have been the slave of Satan. 

The Church applies to the Blessed Virgin 
Mary the words of the Canticle of Solomon : 
" Thou art all beautiful^ my beloved, and there 
is no stain in thee." (Cant. iv. 7.) 

She also finds mention of her in God's rebuke 
to the serpent who tempted Eve : " I will put 
enmities between thee and the woman, and 
between thy seed and her seed. She shall 
crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for 
her heel." (Gen. iii. 15.) 

The serpent is Satan, and the woman, Mary, 



FESTIVALS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 357 

the Mother of Him who crushed the serpent's 
head. 

52. Traces of belief in the doctrine of the Im- 
maculate Conception are found in the Eastern 
and Western churches, even in the first centuries 
of Christianity. 

In the acts of the Apostle St. Andrew (Migne 
Patr. Gr. ii. 1226), we read: "And since 
there was formed of the immaculate earth the 
first man, he who brought death into the world, 
so it was necessary that the perfect man, the 
Son of God, who was to restore eternal life, 
should be born of a virgin Immaculate." St. 
Ephraim says : " In Thee, O Lord, there is no 
blemish, nor any stain in Thy mother." (Carm. 
Bickell, p. 122.) 

Origen says that the Blessed Virgin Mary was 
" full of grace, never having been touched by 
the pestilential breath of Satan." (Horn. iv. in 
Lucam.) 

St. Augustine, speaking of sin, always excepts 
the Blessed Virgin Mary. (De Natura et Gratia, 
xxxvi. t. x.) 

St. Augustine is here speaking of actual sin, 
but his argument seems to apply equally well to 
original sin. 

The ancient writer " de Nativitate Christi," 
found among the works of St. Cyprian, says, 
" Mary being different from the rest of mankind, 



358 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

human nature, but not sin communicated itself 
to her.'' 

Theodotus of Ancyra calls her, " The innocent 
virgin without stain or fault." (Galland. t. ix.) 

St. Proclus says : " He formed her without 
any stain of her own." (Ibid.) 

53. A festival in honor of the Conception of 
the Virgin was celebrated annually in the Greek 
Church as early as the eighth century at least. 
This is evident from the hymns of St. Andrew 
of Crete and the homilies of John the Eubcean. 

Unless her conception was holy the Church 
would not thus honor it. 

In the Roman missal there is a Mass as old as 
the fifteenth century, in honor of the Conception 
of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

The Council of Basle, Sept. 21, 1439, declared 
that the Mother of Christ was never stained by 
original sin. They define that the doctrine 
teaching that " she was ever holy and immacu- 
late, is in harmony with Catholic faith, right rea- 
son and sacred Scripture." (Sess. xxxvi.) 

Pope Sixtus IV., 1476, caused the following 
prayer to be inserted in the missal : " O God, 
who by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin 
didst prepare a worthy habitation for Thy Divine 
Son and by the foresight of his death preserved 
her from all blemish, grant that we also, after 
having been purified, may attain to Thee." 



DEFINITION OF THE DOGMA. 359 

The definition of the Council of Basle, not 
being that of a general Council, did not put 
an end to the controversy about this doctrine 
which was kept up for many years between the 
Franciscans and the Dominicans. 

The Council of Trent in defining the doctrine 
of original sin declares "that it was not its inten- 
tion to include in its decree the Blessed Virgin 
Mary." (Sess. v. 5.) 

Pope Gregory XVI., 1834, authorized the word 
Immaculate to be inserted in the Mass of the 
Conception of the Virgin. 



11. 

DEFINITION OF THE DOGMA. 

54. Pope Pius IX., Dec. 8, 1854, in the pres- 
ence of bishops from all parts of Christendom, 
and with the universal consent of the faithful, 
solemnly defined the dogma of the Immaculate 
Conception. 

The words of the definition are as follows : 
" By the authority, of our Lord Jesus Christ, of 
the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our 
own, we declare, pronounce and define that the 
doctrine which teaches that the Blessed Virgin 
Mary in the first instant of her Conception, by a 
singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in 
virtue of the foreseen merits of Jesus Christ the 



360 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Saviour of the human race, was preserved free 
from all blemish of original sin, was revealed 
by God, and, therefore, is to be firmly and con- 
stantly believed by all the faithful."' Bulla, " In- 
effabilis Deus." 

This definition, which does not make a new 
doctrine, but declares a dogma generally accepted 
in the Church, to be a revealed truth, settled the 
controversy first begun in the time of St. Ber- 
nard and carried on with great vigor and some 
bitterness by the Scotists and the Thomists in 
the fourteenth century. 

This title of Immaculate has been added to 
the Litany of Loretto. In this litany we also 
address the Blessed Virgin Mary as " The Morn- 
ing Star." She is truly the star that points the 
way to heaven, that star of the sea which has the 
same brilliancy and purity of light at its rising 
as at its noon and setting. 

She is the dawn of day that ushers in the sun 
of justice, the light of the world. 

55. The holy patriarchs and prophets of the 
Old Law, who we know are now' saints in heaven* 
must have been sanctified before the coming of 
Christ. Jeremiah was justified at his very birth, 
and St. John the Baptist sanctified in his mother's 
womb. In all this we admire and praise the 
bountiful mercy and never failing grace of God. 
But there is a still more wonderful instance of 



TITLES OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 36 1 

God's mercy, the completed victory and crowning 
miracle of his grace, and that is the Immaculate 
Conception of the ever Blessed Virgin Mary. It 
is here that God shows the boundless nature of 
his mercy and the supreme sway of divine grace 
over all sin. 

Our souls are ransomed from the slavery of 
Satan at the price of Christ's most precious blood ; 
that same precious blood purchased for her the 
glorious privilege of never feeling that galling 
chain. We are rescued as brands from the burn- 
ing, she was never touched by the fire of divine 
wrath. We were once the children of wrath and 
the servants of Satan, she was ever the child of 
God's love, forever in the enjoyment of the free- 
dom of the saints and the abiding friendship of 
her Maker. Here is a human soul that Satan 
could not claim as his own even for one single 
instant; one bright spot in this world never 
clouded by the presence of the prince of dark- 
ness, never sullied by the breath of Satan. 
Truly she was blessed among women and above 
all, for the Lord was ever with her. 

12. 

TITLES OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 

56. Such being the grand privilege of the 
Mother of God we do not wonder at the multi- 
tude of glorious titles under which the Church 



362 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

teaches us to invoke her intercession. She is 
that House of Gold, pure enough to be the 
dwelling place of the Most High ; she is the Ark 
that contains the Word of God, the Ark of the 
Covenant laid up in the Holy of Holies which 
Christ our high priest alone may enter ; the Gate 
of Heaven, by which the Son of God leaves the 
throne of his Father and as the Son of man 
enters the world for man's redemption. She is 
the Rose of Sharon, that Mystical Rose whose 
fragrance is as the breath of God ; the Tower of 
Ivory from whose perfect and polished surface 
glance off harmlessly all the darts of the enemy; 
the Lily of Israel pure and spotless amid the 
surrounding thorns ; the Fleece of Gideon full of 
the dews of heaven in an arid desert. 

The great fathers of the Church compare her 
to the ark of Noah which rode triumphantly 
above the waves of the universal deluge and sur- 
vived unharmed the general wreck of all things. 
They compare her to the mystic ladder that 
Jacob saw in a vision reaching into heaven, at 
the top of which stands with outstretched hands 
the Saviour of the world, to the burning bush 
standing unconsumed in the midst of flames, to 
the city of God set upon the holy mountain, 
to the throne of the Most High, to the temple 
of the Living God. And it "s her Immaculate 
Conception especially that has won for her 



TITLES OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 363 

these titles and makes these comparisons pecu- 
liarly appropriate. 

This truth is the animating soul of many 
a religious order, the unfailing bond of pious 
confraternities, and the vivifying principle of 
many a charitable society. It is the germ of 
many a beautiful custom, and useful devotion. 
It was the prime mover of some enterprises of 
the greatest utility to the Church, to religion 
and civilization, the originating motive of mag- 
nificent temples of God, the corner-stone of 
institutions of learning, piety and charity. Our 
faith is strengthened when we see how con- 
stantly and carefully the devotion springing from 
the belief in the Immaculate Conception was 
cherished by the bishops and pastors of the 
Church, how prudently the Sovereign Pontiff 
fostered these devotions, till at length in our 
own day they reached the maturity and univer- 
sality that made it fitting that what had ever 
been an accepted doctrine should be solemnly 
declared a dogma of the faith. For as clearly 
as this truth was known in former times, as 
faithfully as it was ever taught and believed, 
the great blessing of seeing it stamped with the 
seal of infallibility, taught with the authority of 
divine certitude and believed with the firmness 
of divine faith, was reserved for our age, 



364 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

13. 

OTHER FESTIVALS OF THE BLESSED 
VIRGIN MARY. 

57. The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin 
Mary is honored with a festival that falls on 
Sept. 8, every year. 

The Saints are honored on the day of their 
martyrdom or death, as it is then that they 
became citizens of heaven. The Blessed Virgin 
Mary is honored both on the day of her birth 
into this world, and on the day of her assump- 
tion into Heaven, Aug. 15. 

It is fitting that we who celebrate the birth- 
days of our parents, patriots and illustrious men, 
should honor the natal day of the second mother 
of the human race. On this festival we salute 
our Blessed Mother as the dawn of the day of 
redemption. 

The parents of the Blessed Virgin were 
named Joachim and Ann. 

58. The Annunciation is a feast that falls 
on March 25. Its celebration calls to mind the 
message of the Angel Gabriel to Mary, the 
virgin spouse of Joseph, in the city of Nazareth. 
" The Angel said to her, behold thou shalt con- 
ceive in thy womb and bring forth a son ; and 
thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be 
great and shall be called the Son of the Most 
High." (Luke i. 31.) 



FESTIVALS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 365 

This is the Angelic Salutation that preceded the 
incarnation. On this day we honor the Wora 
made flesh and the Divine Maternity of Mary. 

59. Daily, in saying the Angelus, we honor , 
this same mystery. 

The following is the form of prayer called the 
Angelus, from the word with which it begins, 

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto 
Mary. 

R. And she conceived by the Holy Ghost. 
Hail Mary, &c. 

V, Behold the handmaid of the Lord. 

R. Be it done unto me according to Thy word. 
Hail Mary, &c. 

V. And the Word was made flesh. 

R. And dwelt among us. Hail Mary, full of 
grace, &c. 

Let as Pray. 

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy 
grace into our hearts, that we to whom the 
Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, has been made 
known by the message of an angel, may, by 
His passion and cross, be brought to the glory 
of His resurrection, through the same Christ our 
Lord. Amen. 

60. The Assumption, Aug. 15, is a festival 
in honor of the taking up into heaven of the 
Blessed Mother of God. 



366 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

The very ancient and constant tradition of 
the Church is that on the day of her death, the 
Blessed Virgin Mary was taken body and soul 
into heaven, where she enjoys the highest glory 
ever accorded to a human creature. 

In our pious meditations, we behold her 
seated beside her Divine Son, crowned with a 
halo of glory, and reigning as Queen of Heaven. 

14. 

FEAST OF SS. PETER AND PAUL. 

61. The blood of the Martyrs is the seed of 
the Church. The most illustrious of all the 
martyrs were SS. Peter and Paul. The Church, 
because of the fact that they were martyred on 
the same day, celebrates their anniversary on the 
same day, the twenty-ninth of June. St. Peter 
was the head of the Church, and St. Paul the 
Apostle to the Gentiles. Constantine in the 
IV. century, built two churches in Rome, one in 
honor of St. Peter on the Vatican over his 
tomb, and one in honor of St. Paul, outside the 
walls on the Ostian Way, near the place of his 
martyrdom. 

This was the origin of the famous Basilica of 
St. Peter, and of that of St. Paul, at Rome. 

As a substitute for a history of the early 
Church, we think it useful to give here brief 
sketches of the lives of SS. Peter and Paul. 



FEAST OF SS. PETER AND PAUL. 367 

St, Peter. 

j In the list of the Apostles, although St. 
Peter was not the first called by Our Lord, his 
name always holds the first place. 

After Pentecost St. Peter was the first of the 
Apostles who preached Christ publicly. By his 
first sermon he converted three thousand souls. 
(Acts ii.) On being asked for alms by a lame 
beggar, he took him by the hand, and raising 
him to his feet commanded him to walk, in the 
name of Jesus of Nazareth. And the man being 
cured, went into the temple praising God. (Acts 
hi. 7.) 

St. Peter announced to the Jews that it was 
by the power of Christ, whom they had crucified, 
that he worked this miracle. They then cast 
him into prison, but soon set him free, warning 
him to preach no more in the name of Christ. 
To these threats he replied that it was not just 
to obey men rather than God. 

Ananias and Saphira, having withheld from 
the common fund a part of the price of a field 
which they said they had devcted to charity, St. 
Peter rebuked them for lying to the Holy Ghost, 
upon which they fell down and expired. 

St. Peter and the other Apostles were again 
cast into prison, but were liberated by an angel. 
Some murmuring being heard about the admin 



368 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

istration of the common fund, the Apostles 
ordained seven deacons to attend to the matter. 
St. Peter then went into Samaria, and having 
confirmed the brethren there, went on to Lydda, 
where he cured Eneas, who was for eight years 
bedridden with palsy. He made many converts 
here, and then went to Joppe, where he raised 
from the dead a woman named Tabitha. While 
he dwelt there with Simon the tanner, he had a 
vision whereby it was revealed to him that 
henceforth no distinction should be made 
between Jewish and Gentile converts to the 
Christian religion. He, therefore, commanded 
that Cornelius, a Roman centurion, and other 
Gentiles to whom the grace of faith had been 
manifestly given, should be baptized and 
received into the communion of the faithful. 

Herod Agrippa, having put St. James the 
Elder to death, cast St. Peter into prison. The 
people prayed for his deliverance, and he was 
miraculously released. 

In the first council of the Apostles at Jeru- 
salem, St. Peter was the chief speaker, and 
proposed that the yoke of circumcision should 
not be imposed on the necks of Gentile converts 
to the faith. St. Paul and St. James having 
recommended the same thing, it was decreed 
that circumcision was not necessary in the 
Christian church. (Acts xv.) 



FEAST OF SS. PETER AND PAUL. 369 

When St. Paul went up to Jerusalem, the first 
time after his conversion, it was chiefly to see 
St. Peter. He stayed with him fifteen days, and 
saw none of the other Apostles except St. James. 

St. Peter visited Antioch about a. d. 38. His 
first chair was at Antioch. His first visit to 
Rome was soon after his release from prison, 
probably about the beginning of the reign 
of Claudius Caesar, a. d. 42. He returned 
from Rome to be present at the First Council 
of Jerusalem, a. d. 52. 

After preaching the Gospel in Antioch and 
Corinth, he again went to Rome. While there 
in company with St. Mark, he wrote two Epistles 
to the faithful of Pontus, Galatia, and Asia 
Minor in general. 

He was martyred by Nero at the same time as 
St. Paul, a. d. 67 or 68. 

He was crucified on the Vatican Hill, with his 
head downwards at his own request. 

The Basilica of St, Peter at Rome, is erected 
over the tombs of the Apostles, SS. Peter and 
Paul. 

Pilgrimages to this church are said to be " ad 
limina Apostolorum" that is, to the threshold of 
the sepulchre of these two apostles. 



370 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

15. 

St. Paul. 

62. St. Paul was born in Tarsus of Gilicia, 
of Jewish parents. His name at first was 
Saul, and he was the youth of that name who 
was present at and consenting to the martyrdom 
of St. Stephen. His education begun in the 
Greek schools of his native town, was finished 
in the school of Gamaliel at Jerusalem, and he 
was zealous for the law of Moses, and perse- 
cuted the Christians. While on his way from 
Jerusalem to Damascus, for this purpose, he was 
suddenly converted by a call from Christ him- 
self, who appeared to him in a vision. 

He was baptized by Ananias, to whom he was 
sent by Our Lord. After preaching Christ as 
the Messiah for a short time at Damascus, he 
retired into Arabia for awhile. Returning to 
Damascus, he was obliged, by the threats of the 
Jews, to escape secretly from that city. 

Three years after his conversion, he visited 
Jerusalem, where he was brought face to face 
with St. Peter and St. James by St. Barnabas. 
He aroused the wrath of the Jews by preaching 
Christ in the synagogue, but remained in the 
city till he received a mission from the Lord to 
go to the Gentiles. (Acts xxii. 21.) 

St. Barnabas took him to aid him in preaching 



FEAST OF SS. PETER AND PAUL. 37 1 

the Gospel to the Syrians. Their disciples 
became so numerous at Antioch, that they were 
there for the first time called Christians. 

After a second visit to Jerusalem, Saul and 
Barnabas were solemnly ordained, by the laying 
on of hands, for the mission to the Greeks. 
They first visited the island of Cyprus, where 
they converted the Roman governor, Sergius 
Paulus, after which Saul w r as known as Paul. 
They preached the gospel at Salamis and Paphos 
on that island. 

Here St. Paul rebuked and blinded Barjesu, 
the sorcerer, for his hostility to the Gospel of 
Christ. Thence he went to Antioch in Pisidia, 
where he preached a sermon, a brief sketch of 
which is recorded in the xiii chapter of the Acts 
of the Apostles. He travelled through a large 
part of Asia Minor, founding churches in the 
chief towns and appointing priests to minister 
to them. St. Paul attended the First. Council of 
Jerusalem, a. d. 52. 

In his second journey through Asia Minor, he 
was joined by St. Luke at Troas. Taking him 
and Silas and Timothy with him, he crossed over 
into Europe, and beginning at Philippi, preached 
the gospel throughout Greece. At Philippi, he 
cast out a pythonic spirit from a damsel of that 
place, whose soothsaying was profitable to her 
masters. These charged him with the crime of 



372 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

teaching a new religion and had him scourged 
and cast into prison. His miraculous release 
from prison converted his jailer, and the magis- 
trates, hearing that he was a Roman citizen, 
sent him away. At Thessalonica, he withdrew 
his converts from the synagogue, and formed 
a Christian church in the house of Jason. He 
lived by his trade, which was that of weaving 
tent cloth. 

He was well received by the Jews of Berea, 
but hastened to preach the gospel in Athens, 
one of the chief cities of Greece. 

Among the many statues he saw there, he 
observed an altar which was inscribed, " To the 
unknown God." He took this inscription for his 
text, when he preached on the Areopagus. 
Dionysius and Damaris and a few others were 
the only converts here. The doctrine of the 
Cross and the Resurrection found no favor 
among the, proud Stoics, and the pleasure-loving 
Epicureans of Athens. 

At Corinth, St, Paul lodged with Aquila and 
Priscilla, Jewish converts, recently expelled from 
Roma, by the edict of Claudius. Here he wrote 
his Epistles to the Thessalonians. 

After making a short stay in Ephesus, he 
went by way of Caesarea to Jerusalem, and 
thence to Antioch. He began his third mission- 
ary tour by visiting Ephesus. 



FEAST OF SS. PETER AND PAUL. 373 

The most magnificent building in this flourish- 
ing city was the Temple of Diana. 

In this city, St. Paul labored for three years, 
converting many. The spread of the true faith 
diminished the profits of the silversmiths, who 
were engaged in making and selling little shrines 
of Diana. This led to a riotous assembly in 
the theatre, where the cry " Great is Diana of 
the Ephesians " was raised, and an attempt 
made to bring St. Paul before them, but he 
was protected by the magistrates. (Acts xix.) 

After this he once more visited the church in 
Macedonia and Asia Minor. It was at Troas 
that he restored to life the young man Eutychus, 
who fell from a high window during a religious 
service. This service is described as consisting 
of preaching, prayer, and the breaking of bread. 
At Miletus, St. Paul gave his last farewell to 
the elders of the Church of Ephesus, telling 
them that bonds and afflictions awaited him at 
Jerusalem. He warned them against the false 
teachers that would appear among them. 

During his last visit to Jerusalem, a. d. 58, 
he was scourged before the door of the Temple 
by certain Jews from Asia Minor, who knew of 
his labors and success there. 

He was taken before the Sanhedrim by Lysias, 
and charges made against him. The zealots 
plotted to murder him, but the Roman governor 



374 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

sent him under guard to Proconsul Felix, at 
Caesarea, where he lay in prison for two years 
till Festus, a juster man, succeeded Felix. Festus 
allowed him, as he was a citizen, to appeal his 
case to Rome. 

Before going to Rome, he made a statement 
of his religious beliefs to Agrippa II. 

St. Luke and Aristarchus accompanied St. 
Paul on his' voyage to Rome, a. d. 60. Under 
the charge of a centurion named Julius, they 
sailed from Mysia of Lycia for Italy. 

They were caught in a storm before reaching 
Phenice, where they hoped to winter. They 
feared shipwreck, but St. Paul assured them that 
if they stood by the ship, they would be saved, 
although the ship should be wrecked. They were 
cast ashore on the coast of Malta, where they 
spent the winter, and were well treated by the 
natives. Here St. Paul miraculously cured him- 
self of the bite of a viper, and healed the father 
of Publius, the Roman governor. Supplied with 
a ship by the natives of Malta, St. Paul and his 
companions sailed for Puteoli, on the Italian 
coast, where he rested seven days. In the 
meantime, the news of his arrival reached the 
Christians of Rome, and some of them came to 
meet him as far as Appii Forum, about thirty 
miles from the city. (Acts xxviii.) 

St. Paul entered Rome by the Appian Way, 



FEAST OF SS. PETER AND PAUL. 375 

March, a. d. 61. The Praetor Burrus allowed 
him to live under a single guard m a private 
house, where his friends had easy access to him. 
He made many converts, and soon Christians 
were found in the court of Nero himself. 

From Rome he wrote several of his Epistles 
to the churches of Asia Minor and Greece. 

After two years, he was relieved from all 
restraint, and went to visit the churches he had 
founded in the East. 

Nero having set fire to Rome through pure 
wantonness, tried to throw the blame on the 
Christians. 

It now for the first time became a capital 
offence to be a Christian, and many of them 
were put to death. St. Paul, after he had made 
Timothy Bishop of Ephesus, and Titus, of Crete^ 
was again brought prisoner to Rome. He was 
now cast into the Mamertine dungeon. From 
this prison he wrote a letter to Timothy, in 
which he showed that he longed to see him 
"because the time of his dissolution was at 
hand." (II Tim. iv. 6.) He foresaw that his 
martyrdom was approaching, and was ready for 
the sacrifice, having kept the faith. Against 
the charge that he was a Christian, he had no 
defence, and was condemned to death. He was 
beheaded on the Ostian Way, outside the city 
wails, at Aquae Silviae, now called Trefontane, 



37^ CATHOLIC POCTRINE. 

June 29, a. d. 67. His body was entombed in 
the burial place of a Roman matron named 
Lucina. Over the tomb was afterwards erected 
the grand Basilica, known as St. Paul's beyond 
the walls. This church stands on the borders 
of the Campagna, and in size and beauty is only 
surpassed by that of St. Peter. 

16. 

FAST DAYS. 

63. Lent is a time of fasting and penance 
lasting forty days, that is, from Ash Wednesday 
to Easter. 

Our Lord before beginning His public life 
fasted forty days in the wilderness. The fast of 
Lent is a commemoration of this fast, and also 
a preparation for Easter. 

The chief festivals of the Church are ushered 
in by a vigil of prayer and fasting. 

The observance of this season of fasting and 
prayer, helps greatly in the reformation of men's 
lives, as it tends to break up sinful habits, 
subdues the passions and inspires sorrow for 
sin. It strengthens the soul in self-denial and 
in the practice of virtue. It sets free the nobler 
faculties of human nature, and promotes prac- 
tical piety. It is also a partial atonement for 
sin and moves God to mercy. 



FAST BAYS. 377 

Lent is a real blessing even to worldlings, 
as it releases them for a time from the fatiguing 
exactions of society. It brings them, a needed 
rest from their too ardent and continuous pur- 
suit of pleasure. The moral tone of the whole 
community is improved by the observance of 
Lent. This is the result of meditation on the 
great truths of religion which is promoted by 
Lent. 

64. Fasting and abstinence from the more ex^ 
citing meats and drinks weaken the impulses of 
the animal passions. We strive, like St. Paul, by 
discipline of the body, to bring the unruly appe- 
tites into subjection to reason and conscience. 

The immediate object of Lent is to prepare 
the hearts of the faithful to celebrate in a proper 
spirit the commemoration of the great events 
that group themselves around Holy Week, that 
is, the week before Easter. 

The Institution' of the Holy Eucharist is 
commemorated on Thursday of that week ; the 
Crucifixion of the Redeemer of the world, on 
Good Friday; the visit of the Saviour to the 
souls in Limbo, on Holy Saturday ; and chief 
and crown of all, the Resurrection of Our Lore! 
from the dead, on Easter Sunday. 

The worthy celebration of these mysteries 
requires that the people should have previously 
purified themselves by means of sacramental 



378 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

confession. During Lent, prayers, sermons and 
penitential exercises are multiplied in the 
churches. These produce salutary effects on 
the moral character and daily life of all who 
seek to profit by them. 

Still more to promote pious living, the faithful 
are exhorted and counselled to abstain during 
this holy season, even from lawful enjoyments, 
when these are of a nature to draw the mind 
away from spiritual contemplation, or are of a 
public, boisterous sort, or such as are liable to 
be abused and turned into sources of temptation 
or scandal. 

65. Ember Days are fast days that occur at 
stated times during each of the four seasons of 
the year. 

As each season brings its own blessings, it is 
fitting that a part of each quarter of the year 
should be dedicated to the humble acknowledg- 
ment of our dependence on God from whom all 
blessings flow. This humble attitude of mind is 
well shown by fasting. 

The ordination of priests is generally held 
during the Ember Days, and the faithful are 
invited to pray that worthy priests be given 
them for the care of their souls. 

The Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of the 
third week of Advent, of the second week of 
Lent, and of the week after Whitsunday and the 



FAST DAYS. 379 

Exaltation of the Holy Cross, September 14, are 
Ember Days. 

Abstinence from flesh meat every Friday, and 
on all fast days, is the law of the Church, and is 
binding on all who are not for just cause exempt 
or dispensed therefrom. 

66. Total Abstinence from intoxicating 
drinks is an excellent mode of practising the 
virtue of temperance. It is a commendable form 
of asceticism, or severe self-discipline, a salutary 
mortification of a dangerous appetite and a safe- 
guard against excess in the use of liquor. 

For those who are afflicted with the " drink 
habit," or are given to the excessive use of liquor, 
it may be a necessity and a duty. Our Holy 
Father, Leo XIIL, in his letter (March 27, 1887) 
to Archbishop Ireland, declares that it is a proper 
and efficacious remedy for drunkenness. The 
custom of entirely abstaining from intoxicants, 
prevailing among many and promoted by Total 
Abstinence Societies, is approved and com- 
mended by the fathers of the Third Plenary 
Council of Baltimore. (VIII. 262.) In view of 
the many spiritual and temporal evils and grave 
scandals flowing directly from the abuse of liquor, 
the safest course is that of Total Abstinence. 
Those who set a good example in this respect 
deserve to be hignly commended. 

It is a part of the duty of all in care of 



38O CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

souls to take measures to remove the causes and 
remedy the evils arising from intemperance. 
Catholics are exhorted by this same Council 
not to engage in the sale of liquor. (III. Plen. 
viii. 263.) 

The amelioration of the condition of the labor- 
ing classes depends greatly on the spread of tem- 
perance among them. 

17. 

LITANIES. 

67. The word litany means a prayer. In 
church usage a litany is a form of responsive 
prayer consisting of a series of brief petitions. 
The invocations are addressed to God, to the 
Blessed Virgin Mary, and to the saints. 

The petitions to God or any person of the 
Trinity are followed by the supplication, " Have 
mercy on us." Those to the Blessed Virgin or 
the saints, by " Pray for us." 

All litanies begin with the Kyrie Eleison, /. e., 
Lord, have mercy on us. 

Litanies are usually chanted at solemn func- 
tions, such as the ordination of priests or the 
consecration of churches ; also in religious pro- 
cessions and at other times of special devotion. 
The Roman Ritual prescribes the Litany of the 
Saints for the procession of St. Mark's and Roga- 
tion days, and for the Forty Hours' Devotion. 



SPECIAL DEVOTIONS. 38 1 

The Rogation days are three days of special 
prayer which form a sort of prolonged vigil of 
the Ascension. 

68. There are three litanies approved by the 
Church, viz. : that of the saints, of the Blessed 
Virgin Mary, and of the Holy Name of Jesus. 
Clement VIII. forbade the use of new litanies in 
the public services of the Church without the 
approval of the Sacred Congregation of Rites. 
It is also forbidden to add any saint's name or 
new petition to the litanies. 

The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary is 
called that of Loretto because it is solemnly 
chanted every Saturday in the holy House of 
Loretto. 



18. 

SPECIAL DEVOTIONS. 

69. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament 
is usually given after Vespers every Sunday. It 
is sometimes given in the evening on occasions 
of special devotion such as Lenten services, 
missions, or the meetings of pious sodalities and 
confraternities. Exposition and Benediction of 
the Blessed Sacrament are now very generally 
given on the first Friday of every month in 
honor of the Sacred Heart of Our Lord. 

The Sacred Host is taken from the tabernacle 



382 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

and placed in the monstrance, which is then set 
up in the niche above the altar in full view of 
the congregation. The adoration of Our Lord 
present in the Blessed Sacrament is indicated by 
the kneeling posture of the priests and assistants 
and by the burning of incense. The hymns 
O Salutaris Hostia and Tcvitum Ergo are sung, 
and a prayer chanted. Then the priest, vested in 
surplice, stole, cope, and veil takes the monstrance 
in his hands, and, turning to the people, blesses 
them with the Sacred Host, making with it the 
sign of the cross over them. 

70. The Stations of the Cross is a pious 
exercise in imitation of the custom of pilgrims 
to Jerusalem, who in their devotion to the 
passion of Our Lord, follow the traces of the 
dolorous way of the cross to Mt. Calvary. 

As few can actually go to Jerusalem to practise 
this most salutary devotion, the Church sanc- 
tioned the erection in our churches of stations 
representing the different stages ot that dolorous 
way, and encourage the faithful to perform this 
exercise. The stations are marked by crosses 
and generally by pictures calling to mind the 
different scenes of Our Lord's passion. The 
faithful who in a penitential spirit thus follow 
the footsteps of Christ on his way to Calvary, 
pause at each station and contemplate the event 
which it represents, reciting familiar prayers. 



SPECIAL DEVOTIONS. 383 

These stations are fourteen in number, begin- 
ning with Christ before Pilate, and ending with 
His Entombment. This devotion enables the 
faithful everywhere to gain the same indulgences 
as pilgrims to the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. 
" We adore Thee, O Christ, and bless Thy Holy 
Name, because by Thy Holy Cross Thou didst 
redeem the world " is the chant of these pilgrims 
of the way of the Cross. 

71. The Forty Hours' Prayer is a most 
solemn form of adoration of Christ in the Blessed 
Sacrament. It originated in Milan, a. d. 1534, at 
a time when the city was sorely afflicted by the 
war between the Emperor Charles V. and the 
King of France. St. Philip Neri introduced it 
to Rome, and it was sanctioned by Clement 
VIII. , a. d. 1592. The number of hours during 
which the Blessed Sacrament is exhibited for the 
adoration of the people seems to have been sug- 
gested by the forty hours during which the body 
of Our Lord was in the tomb. 

The special object of this form of piety is to 
arouse the devotion of the faithful to the Blessed 
Sacrament, and to make some amends to Our 
Lord for the coldness with which His presence 
among us is treated, and the outrages sometimes 
inflicted on Him by sacrilege and insult. 

This devotion begins and ends with a solemn 
High Mass and procession, and is continued for 



384 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

three days. The Forty Hours, as arranged in 
this country, are not consecutive, as the Exposi- 
tion of the Blessed Sacrament is interrupted at 
night. 

The time of the Forty Hours' Devotion is 
assigned to each church in a diocese in such a 
way that an almost perpetual adoration of the 
Blessed Sacrament is thus kept up. 

72. The Rosary is a form of vocal and mental 
prayer, said to be first used by St. Dominic in 
the conversion of the Albigenses. When recited 
by many in common it takes the responsive form. 
The meditations are made on the chief events 
in the life of Our Lord and of His Blessed 
Mother. These are fifteen in number, and 
being either joyful, dolorous or glorious, are 
grouped under these three heads, forming the 
three parts of the Rosary. There are five 
mysteries or religious truths in each part or 
chaplet. The meditation on each mystery is 
followed by the recitation of the Lord's Prayer 
once and the Hail Mary ten times ; hence the 
term decade used in describing this devotion. 
Each decade, that is, ten Hail Marys, is concluded 
with the doxology, i, e., " Glory be to the Father, 
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost." 

Only one chaplet of the Rosary is usually 
recited at one time. 

The circlet of beads in the form of a chaplet, 



PILGRIMAGES. 385 

which is used to count the decades, gives it the 
name of Rosary, that is, a garland or crown of 
roses. To the beads is generally attached a 
crucifix which reminds the faithful to begin the 
Rosary by reciting the Creed. 

19. 

PILGRIMAGES. 

73. A Pilgrimage is a journey to some holy 
place, prompted by religious motives and made 
with pious intent in a devout manner. Pilgrim- 
ages are sometimes made in fufilment of a vow, 
or to gain some spiritual benefit. 

They are often made with the hope of obtain- 
ing the miraculous cure of some ailment deemed 
otherwise incurable. 

The most celebrated places of pilgrimage are 
the Holy Land, the Tomb of the Apostles at 
Rome, the Holy House of Loretto, the Shrine 
of St. James, called Compostella, of Spain, 
Canterbury in England, Einsiedeln in Switzer- 
land, Lourdes in Fiance, St. Anne de Beau Pre 
in Canada, and Guadalupe, Mexico. 

There are many other places and shrines of 
saints which pilgrims frequent and where God 
has been pleased to show his power, and reward 
the faith of the devout by working miracles and 
bestowing special graces there. 

Pilgrims in former times wore a dress and 



386 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

carried a staff which distinguished them from 
ordinary travellers. 

Pilgrims generally travelled on foot, endured 
great hardships and led abstemious and penr 
tential lives. The sight and holy influences of 
privileged sanctuaries of religion tend powerfully 
to arouse sentiments of piety and strengthen 
the penitential spirit. A visit to the scene of 
any great event naturally evokes thought and 
reflection, and leaves a lasting impression on 
the mind. A visit to the places sanctified by 
the footsteps of Our Lord or rendered illustrious 
by the lives of His saints, quickens religious 
feeling and assists pious meditation. A knowl- 
edge of the facts of religion is thus most deeply 
engraven on our minds. The suffering inflicted 
by the Turks on pilgrims to the Holy Sepulchre 
at Jerusalem was one of the chief causes of the 
Crusades of the Middle Ages. 

74. The Crusades were great military expe- 
ditions undertaken by the Christian princes of 
Europe, with the sanction of the Pope, for the 
purpose of freeing the Holy Land from the 
rule of the Mohammedans. It was deemed an 
intolerable grievance that the places sanctified 
by the footsteps of Our Lord should be under 
the sway of infidels. 

This grievance was aggravated by the cruelties 
inflicted on the pilgrims to the Holy Sepulchre. 



SACRED VESSELS. 387 

Peter the Hermit, by his eloquent portrayal 
of these cruelties, aroused the indignation of 
Europe, and the first crusade was set on foot by 
Urban II., at the council of Clermont, a. d. 1095. 
Godfrey de Bouillon was the chief military 
leader of this Crusade. He entered Jerusalem 
July 16, 1099, and established a Christian 
government there. His conquest of Palestine 
was not, however, permanent, and Jerusalem is 
still in possession of the Turks. 

20. 

SACRED VESSELS. 

75. The vessels used in the service of the 
altar are the chalice, paten, ciborium, monstrance 
and lunette. 

The Chalice is the lily shaped cup mounted 
on a base and stem which is used to hold the 
wine consecrated at Mass. 

It is made of gold, or silver lined with gold 
internally. Chalices of onyx or other precious 
stones were not unknown in former times. Pope 
Victor III. made a gift of two chalices of onyx 
to the Monastery of Monte Casino, 

The Council of Rheims, a. d. 813, ordered 
that chalices should be of gold or silver. 

Great artistic skill and much precious material 
are used in the making and ornamentation of 
chalices. 



388 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

76. The Paten is a small plate of gold or silver 
used to receive the bread for the consecration 
and the Host about the time of the communion. 

In ancient times the paten was very large, as 
it also served the purpose of a ciborium in the 
distribution of Holy Communion. The chalice 
and paten are always blessed by the Bishop 
before being used. 

77. The Ciborium is the large vessel shaped 
somewhat like a chalice in which the Blessed 
Sacrament is reserved in the tabernacle. It is 
also used in giving communion. It should be 
made of the same material as the chalice. The 
name is taken from the Latin cibus, food, 
because it contains the food of souls, the Sacred 
Hosts consecrated at Mass. 

78. The Monstrance, sometimes called 
Ostensorium, is the portable shrine in which the 
Blessed Sacrament is exhibited for the adoration 
of the faithful. In it the Host is borne in 
solemn procession, and with it Benediction of the 
Blessed Sacrament is given. It has a foot and 
stem by which it can be easily handled and set 
down when necessary. 

The part in which the Host is enshrined is 
ornamented with radiating beams or rays resem- 
bling a sunburst or glory. When borne in 
processions it is protected by a canopy which is 
carried by six or eight persons. 



SACRED VESTMENTS. 389 

79. The Lunette is a small case or clasp 
which conveniently holds the Host when placed 
in the monstrance. It is shaped like a ring or 
new moon so as to hold the Host w r ithout 
concealing it. 

21. 

SACRED VESTMENTS. 

80. The Scapular is a garment worn by 
certain religious orders. It is a long strip of 
cloth thrown over the shoulders and hanging 
down to the knees before and behind. They are 
of different colors in different orders. The 
Carmelites wear the brown scapular, the Servites, 
the black, the Theatines, the blue, the Trinitarians, 
the white and the Sisters of Charity, the red. 
The brown scapular is the most common, and its 
introduction is ascribed to St. Simon Stock, a 
superior of the Carmelites, in the beginning of 
the thirteenth century. 

Lay persons may be invested in the scapular 
by a priest authorized to do so. 

When worn by the laity it is reduced to the 
simple form of two pieces of woollen stuff con- 
nected by bands so that it may be worn over the 
shoulders. Those who w T ear the brown scapular, 
which is the badge of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, 
are in an especial manner clients of the Blessed 
Virgin Mary. When properly invested in this 



390 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

scapular the faithful gain certain indulgences 
attached by the Pope to the devout wearing of it. 
Investment in the scapular causes the wearer 
to share in the merits of the good works of the 
order to which it belongs. 

81. Sacerdotal Vestments are those worn 
by the priest in the celebration of the Mass. 
They are the amice, alb, cincture, maniple, 
stole and chasuble. 

82. The Amice is a piece of linen marked 
with a cross at the upper edge, and is used to 
cover the neck and shoulders. Originally it was 
used to cover the head also, until the beretta or 
clerical cap was introduced about the tenth 
century. A vestige of this is seen in the custom 
of the Dominicans and members of other 
religious orders who wear the amice over the 
head on entering the sanctuary to say Mass. 

Mystically the amice represents "the helmet 
of salvation," which according to St. Paul repels 
the darts of the wicked one. 

83. The Alb is, as its name implies, a white 
garment with which the priest covers his cassock 
when vesting for Mass. It must be made of 
white linen and reach to the feet. 

It is the same as the linen garment worn by 
the priests of the Old Law in offering sacrifice. 
Indeed, it is the sacrificial robe of all the ancient 



SACRED VESTMENTS. 39 I 

priesthoods. Its whiteness reminds the priest of 
the purity of heart and hand with which he 
should approach the altar to offer the Holy 
Sacrifice of the Mass. 

The prayer which he says in putting it on 
expresses his desire to be washed in the blood 
of the Lamb. It reminds us also of the newness 
of life that all Christians put on in Baptism. 

84. The Cincture is a cord of linen used to 
keep the flowing alb in place. In a mystical 
sense it reminds us of the moral girdle with 
which in Holy Writ we are exhorted to gird our 
loins and reins, so as to be strong against 
temptation. The priest, in encircling himself 
with the cincture prays that the virtue of chastity 
may ever abide with him. 

85. The Maniple is a strip of precious cloth 
having a cross embroidered in the middle and 
on each of the ends. 

It is of the same material and color as the 
chasuble. 

It is carried on the left forearm in such a 
manner that it hangs equally on both sides. 

In some of the Oriental Rites it still remains 
what, no doubt, it was originally, a silk handker- 
chief. It reminds us that merit is only gained 
by toil and tears, and that joy is the reward of 
labor. Bishops do not take the maniple till after 
the confiteor before Mass. 



392 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

86. The Stole is a long band of precious 
cloth worn pendant from the neck and crossed 
on the breast. 

The ancient stole was a full garment indicative 
of rank or honor in the wearer. The modern 
stole is little more than the ornamental border 
of the ancient stole. 

Deacons and those in higher orders alone 
wear the stole, as it is a badge of dignity. 

Deacons' wear the stole only over the left 
shoulder, and crossed at the right side, as a 
mark of their grade, and in order to have the 
right arm free to assist the priest at Mass. 
Priests wear the stole while saying Mass and 
also in administering the sacraments or giving 
solemn blessings. 

The prayer of the priest in putting on the 
stole, is that he be again endowed with the im- 
mortality which he lost in Adam. 

87. The Chasuble is the outer garment worn 
by the priest at Mass. The name is derived 
from the Latin casula, a little house or shelter. 
Originally the chasuble enveloped the entire 
body of the priest, somewhat as the cope does 
now. In some of the Eastern churches it retains 
its original shape at the present day. 

With us, for convenience in handling the 
Chalice and Host, it is open at the sides, leaving 
the arms of the priest free. 



EPISCOPAL INSIGNIA. 393 

The material should be silk or cloth of silver 
or gold. 

88. The color is either white, red, violet, green 
or black, according to the particular color called 
for by the rubrics of the office of the day. 
White is used on festivals of Our Lord and of 
His saints, not martyrs ; also on solemnities 
in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. 

Red is used in honor of the martyrs and on 
Pentecost. Violet is used during Lent and other 
penitential times. Green is the proper color for 
Sunday, and is always used on that day, if not 
excluded by some festival requiring another 
color. It is also the color for certain ferials, 
that is, free days on which there is no festival. 

Black is only used on Good Friday, and in 
Masses of Requiem for the repose of ^he souls 
of the faithful departed. 

In a mystical sense the chasuble is emblematic 
of charity. The prayer of the priest in vesting, 
indicates that the chasuble is to remind us of 
the sweet yoke of the Lord, by carrying which 
we may merit divine grace. 

22. 

EPISCOPAL INSIGNIA. 

89. The Pectoral Cross, made of silver or 
gold, and suspended on the breast by a gold 



394 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

chain thrown over the shoulders, is the distinc- 
tive mark of a Bishop. Holy relics are usually 
enclosed in the stem of this cross. It reminds 
the Bishop that his office is one of trial and 
tribulation as well as of dignity. 

90. The Ring bearing a precious stone as a 
seal, is worn by Bishops on the third finger of 
the right hand. In saluting Bishops, it is custom- 
ary to kiss the seal of his ring. It is an emblem 
of authority, and a pledge of fidelity to the 
Church, 

91. The Crozier is a staff curved at the top 
like a shepherd's crook, and is carried by the 
Bishop in all solemn functions when he moves 
from place to place, or stands at the gospel. 

Originally the crozier was surmounted with a 
cross. 

The crozier is a symbol of the Good Shepherd 
and a sign of authority over the flock of Christ. 
It is an emblem of the pastoral charge over a 
diocese, which the Bishop receives when he is 
appointed by the Pope, and a reminder of the 
injunction laid upon him in his consecration, to 
be strict in the correction of abuses, mild in 
judgment, winning souls to the love of virtue 
by a gentle but firm rule. 

The Pope never uses a crozier. This is per- 
haps due to the fact that in solemn functions 



EPISCOPAL INSIGNIA. 3^5 

he is carried from place to place in the sedilia, 
or portable chair, and does not, therefore need a 
staff to lean on. 

92. The Mitre is a covering for the head 
worn by Bishops when officiating. At first it 
was a simple linen coif, held in place by a rib- 
bon, the ends of which fell on the shoulders. 

Vestiges of these flowing bands are still seen 
in the lappets of the present mitre. 

This coif was afterwards arranged to form 
peaks on either side of the head. The present 
mitre did not come into use till the eleventh 
century. 

The modern mitre is a fillet encircling the 
head and surmounted by a high-peaked cap. 

Mitres were worn by the Jewish high priests. 
Oriental Bishops do not use the mitre. 

The Pope wears a tiara instead when he 
solemnly officiates as sovereign Pontiff. The 
tiara is a triple-crowned mitre. A Bishop uses 
three mitres of different materials. 

The simple white mitre of linen or silk is used 
in ordinary functions, a richer mitre of silk em- 
broidered with gold, or of cloth of gold, is used 
on more solemn occasions, and the precious 
mitre, which is made of gold or silver decorated 
with gems, is used in the most solemn pontifical 
ceremonies. 

The mitre is an emblem of the spiritual hel* 



396 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

met of salvation mentioned by St. Paul. (Eph. 
vi. 17.) 

The two peaks of the mitre are reminiscent of 
the rays that beamed from the face of Moses as 
he descended from Mt. Sinai. 

They may also remind us of the two Testa- 
ments of which Bishops are the custodians and 
interpreters. 

Some Abbots, /. <?., heads of monasteries, have 
the privilege of wearing mitres when solemnly 
officiating in full pontifical robes. Cardinals wear 
the red hat to remind them that they should be 
ever ready to shed their blood for the faith. 

93. The Pallium is a narrow, ring-like woollen 
band passing round the shoulders, with two 
short lappets falling down the breast and back. 
It is ornamented with sable crosses, and is kept 
in place by three gold pins. 

Originally the pallium was, as its name implies, 
a cloak. It is a symbol of the mantle of St. 
Peter, and properly belongs to the Pope alone. 
It is granted to Patriarchs and Archbishops in 
token of the fact that their authority comes from 
the Pope. 

The pallium was the distinctive dress of the 
prophets and of the Greek philosophers and 
learned men in general. 

The mantle of Elias fell on the shoulders of 
Eliseus when the former was taken up in a fiery 
chariot. (III. Kings six. 16.) 



EPISCOPAL INSIGNIA. 397 

Eliseus thus succeeded Elias in the prophetic 
office. 

The Patriarchs of Alexandria used to transmit 
the pallium of St. Mark, which was their insig- 
nia, to their successors. This was typical of the 
Apostolic succession. 

This is also indicated by the fact that the pal- 
lium is blessed by the Pope on the tomb of the 
Apostles on the Feast of their martyrdom in 
Rome, June 29. 

The wool of which the pallium is made is 
shorn from white lambs previously blessed by the 
celebrant, at the church of St. Agnes, on the 
Feast of St. Agnes, Jan. 21. After this ceremony 
they are taken to the Pope who also blesses 
them and sends them to be cared for by the 
Nuns of the Blessed Sacrament. 

The Pope wears the pallium continuously in 
sign of his universal jurisdiction. Patriarchs 
and Archbishops wear the pallium only in their 
own dioceses while pontificating at certain festi- 
vals designated by the Holy See. 

An Archbishop elect can neither use the title 
nor perform the chief functions of his office, un- 
til he has received the pallium. The pallium of 
an Archbishop is buried with him, as indicating 
that it was a personal privilege which he cannot 
transmit to his successor. 

The pallium is a sign that the Prelate who has 



39 8 - CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

the privilege of wearing it shares to some 
extent in the plentitude of ecclesiastical power 
proper to the Pope. It Is also an emblem of the 
Good Shepherd, and reminds the Prelate of his 
obligations towards the flock of which he is 
pastor. 

23. 

PROFESSION OF FAITH. 

94. Pope Pius IV. made a brief summary of 
the chief dogmas defined by the Council of 
Trent. It is used in all formal professions of 
faith prescribed for solemn occasions, such as 
the opening of synods, installation of Bishops, 
conferring of the degree of Doctor of Divinity, 
etc. 

It is known as the Creed of Pius IV., and. 
may be said to be the official creed of the 
Church. 

It begins by reciting the Creed as given on 
page 13 of this book, and continues as follows : 

I admit and embrace the Apostolic and Eccle- 
siastical traditions, and all other customs and 
laws of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. 

I accept and hold the sacred Scriptures in the 
same sense in which they have been and are 
held by Holy Mother Church, to whom it 
belongs to judge of the true sense and interpre- 
tation of the same. 



PROFESSION OF FAITH. 399 

I will not receive nor interpret them in any 
sense contrary to the unanimous consent of the 
Fathers. 

I openly confess also that there are seven 
sacraments of the New Law, instituted by Christ, 
to wit : Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Pen- 
ance, Extreme Unction, Holy Order and Matri- 
mony. I believe that these sacraments are 
necessary for the salvation of mankind, though 
all are not necessary for every one. # 

I believe that the sacraments confer grace, 
and that Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Order 
cannot be received twice. I also accept the 
ceremonies used by the Church in administering 
the sacraments. I embrace and accept all 
that has been defined by the holy Council of 
Trent relating to original sin and justification. 
I confess that in the Mass there is offered to 
God a true, proper and atoning sacrifice for the 
living and the dead ; and that in the Eucharist 
there is truly, really and substantially the body 
and blood, soul and divinity of Our Lord Jesus 
Christ, and that a change is made of the whole 
substance of the bread into the body, and of the 
whole substance of the wine into the blood, 
which change is called by the Catholic Church, 
Transubstantiation. I also believe and confess 
that under either species alone, we receive Christ 
whole and entire, and a true sacrament. 



400 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

I firmly hold that there is a Purgatory, and 
that souls therein detained are helped by the 
suffrages of the faithful, and I likewise declare 
that the Saints reigning with Christ are to be 
honored and invoked, that they pray for us, and 
that their relics should be venerated. 

I also declare that the images of Christ, of 
the ever Virgin Mother of God, and of the other 
Saints, ought to be retained and held in due 
honor and veneration. I affirm that the power 
of granting indulgences was left by Christ in 
His Church, and that the use of them is most 
salutary to Christian people. 

I acknowledge the Holy Catholic Apostolic 
Roman Church as the Mother and mistress of 
all churches, and I promise true obedience to 
the Bishop of Rome, successor of St. Peter, 
Prince of the Apostles, and vicar of Jesus Christ. 

I unhesitatingly accept and profess my belief 
in whatever else the sacred Canons, the General 
Councils, and particularly the holy Council of 
Trent and the (Ecumenical Council of the 
Vatican, have handed down, defined and de- 
clared. I especially hold what the latter has 
decreed about the primacy and infallible teach- 
ing of the Roman Pontiff. 

( The words relating to the Council of the 
Vatican were inserted by Pope Pius IX.) 

I condemn, reject and anathematize all things 



JUSTICE. 401 

contrary to the foregoing, and all heresies which 
the Church has condemned, rejected and anathe- 
matized. I believe, sincerely hold and profess 
this true Catholic faith, without which no one 
■can be saved. And I promise most constantly 
to retain and confess the same entire and pure, 
frith God's assistance, to the end of my life. 



[Note to Page 76, No. 148.] 
JUSTICE. 

95. Justice moves the will to render to every 
one his own or what he has a right to. Its office 
is to guide us in our dealings with others, so that 
we may give each his due. 

In exchange, that is just which is a fair 
equivalent for what w T e receive. Natural justice 
and equity are almost the same thing. Equity 
implies fairness which mere legality does not 
always secure. 

A right may be either natural or conferred by 
law. A natural right is one that belongs to us 
from the mere fact that we are human beings. 

The right to live, to use our faculties, and to 
enjoy the fruits of our labor, are natural rights. 
The just will of the community embodied in law 
can confer rights that are not contrary to natural 



402 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

justice. Moral justice is superior to legal. 
Legal justice looks rather to the general good ; 
moral justice, to the rights of the individual as 
well as those of the community. Justice concerns 
itself with exterior actions rather than with 
interior affections or dispositions. Legal justice 
distributes honors and burdens equitably, regu- 
lates exchanges of goods between individuals 
and metes out suitable penalties for wrong-doing. 

The object of justice is the right. A right is 
that which "we may justly claim or keep as o.ur 
own, or do for our own purposes. It is either 
ownership or the right to use and to profit by 
the use. 

96. Supreme dominion belongs only to God, 
but the right to own things belongs also to man. 
Dominion, or ownership, consists in the right to 
keep or dispose of a thing as we please, without 
injury to others, and is perfect when we can dis- 
pose of the thing and its use. Private ownership 
of land and goods is in accord with natural law 
and is sanctioned both by the law of God and 
the laws of the state. " Covet not thy neighbor's 
field." (Deut. v. 22.) " Thou shalt not covet 
thy neighbor's goods." (Exodus xx.) 

Eminent domain enables the state to take, for 
due compensation, such private property as may 
be needed for the good of the community. 

A parent, by the laws of this county 5 has 



JUSTICE. 403 

dominion over the earnings of a minor child 
while that child is living with him, and is sup- 
ported and properly treated by him. If the 
father is .guardian of a child's property, he re- 
ceives the income of it, but must account for it 
to the court when the child comes of age. He 
is the trustee and not the owner of it, and is 
bound to use it for the benefit of the child 
alone. 

Dominion may be acquired over wild land that 
belongs to nobody, by merely taking and holding 
possession of the same by effective occupancy, if 
no human law forbid it. 

Lost treasure if found on land by the owner 
of the latter will belong to him, if the original 
owner does not appear to claim it, and civil law 
does not otherwise decree. 

Dominion may also be acquired by pre- 
scription, that is, by peaceful possession in good 
faith on such apparent title and during such 
period as is required by law. Ignorance of fact, 
but not ignorance of the law will put a man in 
good faith. Long peaceful possession is in itself 
regarded as a title. Bad faith in the acquisition 
will vitiate all right of prescription and no lapse 
of time can cure the defect. 

Legal lapse of another's right may put a man 
in possession, but it is not everything that human 
law permits that the conscience will sanction. 



404 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 



[Note to Page 77.] 
FAITH. 

97. Faith is belief on the authority of another. 
If the authority is human, the faith based on it 
is human ; if it is divine, the faith resting on it is 
divine. 

Knowledge is either natural or supernatural. 
Natural knowledge is the fruit of mental action, 
observation and science ; supernatural knowledge 
comes to us by divine faith. Hence divine faith 
is a supernatural virtue by which, grace helping 
us, we believe all that God has revealed, because 
he is truth itself. The virtue of faith is a habit 
of the soul by which acts of faith are made when 
we come to the use of reason. 

Faith is a gift of God, and is the first super- 
natural virtue infused into the soul. It is not 
the first grace, as the grace that moves the mind 
to assent and the will to consent must precede it. 

As the virtue of faith is infused into the soul 
by baptism, all Christians who have come to the 
use of reason and received religious instruction 
are able to make an act of faith and are bound to 
do so at certain times. 

98. Faith is explicit when assent is given 
directly to the truth believed. 



FAITH. 405 

It is implicit when the truth is contained in 
some other truth that is believed. He who 
believes that there are two natures in Christ 
implicitly believes that there are two wills in 
Christ, even when he does not advert to this. 

Although faith is the root of justification, it 
may, through want of charity and good works, 
fail to lead to salvation. 

Some truths which are not dogmas of the Cath- 
olic Church are of divine faith ; that is, there 
are revealed truths generally held by the faithful 
that have not yet been dogmatically defined by 
the Church. 

99. The motive of faith is the veracity of 
God. We believe what God has revealed, be- 
cause his knowledge is infinite and being truth 
itself he cannot deceive us. The object of faith 
is every truth revealed by God. "We must 
believe by divine and Catholic faith whatever is 
contained in the written or traditional word of 
God and taught by the Church as divinely 
revealed, either in her solemn decrees or in her 
ordinary and universal teaching." (Vatican 
Council, Cap. hi.) 

True faith is firm and certain. Faith in its 
motive is more certain than science, because it 
rests on the veracity of God, while science is the 
result of human experience and reasoning. The 
truths of faith are most certain, as the motive of 



406 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

faith is the strongest that can win assent. Faith 
excludes all doubt, even in the case of mysteries 
which the mind cannot see clearly nor fully 
explain. Some truths known or capable of being 
known by natural reason are matters of faith. 
The knowledge of the existence of God is at 
once a truth of reason and a truth of faith. 
Faith, however, is chiefly exercised with regard 
to truths that cannot be demonstrated by reason 
or learned by experience. The authority of 
God in this case supplies the place of intrinsic 
evidence or the testimony of the senses. Many 
facts of science which we do not understand are 
accepted by us on the authority of learned men 
in whom we have faith. 

ioo. Faith is necessary for salvation. It is 
one of the means of salvation which is necessary 
in itself, and because God prescribes it. " With- 
out faith it is impossible to please God." (Heh. 
xi. 6.) " For by grace you are saved through faith." 
(Fphes. ii. 8.) " He that believeth not shall be 
condemned." (Mark xvi. 16.) " And this is the 
victory that overcometh the world, our faith." 
(I John v. 4.) 

In order to be saved we must believe explicitly 
in one God, that the three divine persons, Father. 
Son and Holy Ghost, are this one God, that the 
second person of the Trinity became man and 
died to redeem us, and that God will reward the 



I 



FAITH. 407 

good and punish the wicked in the next life. 
Yet some, through no fault of their own, may be 
ignorant of the Trinity and Incarnation without 
being lost on that account. At least many 
theologians hold that this is very probable. 

By a divine precept we are bound under pain 
of mortal sin not to reject any dogma of faith 
that is sufficiently proposed to us. This precept 
is urgent at all times. We are also bound to 
believe, at least implicitly, all the truths that God 
has reveaied. 

It is our duty, because it is the will of God, 
to learn and believe explicitly the articles of the 
Apostles' Creed, and to know the commandments 
of God and of the Church, the Lord's prayer ana 
such sacraments as we have received or are about 
to receive. 

101. As in matters of faith we have not 
metaphysical certitude which compels assent, 
the will remains free to accept or reject the 
revelations contained in the Scriptures and the 
truths taught by the Church, though it sins by 
rejecting them. The merit of faith arises from 
this, that it is an act of free will moved by the 
grace of God. A profession of faith extorted by 
coercion or obtained by pains and penalties from 
an unwilling mind is of no value. In the con- 
version of unbelievers it is not lawful to use force 



408 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

or punishment. A man does not truly believe 
unless the will consents 

102. There are certain motives of credibility 
apart from the motive of faith which is the 
veracity of God. 

That is credible which is made known to us 
by a trustworthy teacher or witness or proved by 
miracles or other valid arguments. Our assent 
is not given to doctrines except on reasonable 
grounds of credibility. For the unlearned the 
chief and sufficient motive of credibility is the 
divine origin and teaching of the Church which 
they earn through their pastors, teachers • and 
parents. All who have the time and the ability 
to study the proofs that tend to make matters of 
faith more credible, should acquire a knowledge 
of them. Some of these proofs arise from the 
very nature and excellence of the truths them- 
selves, and some are taken from external sources, 
such as testimony, prophecy and miracles. 

103. The act by which we give assent must 
not exclude any revealed truth. This is neces- 
sary for the integrity of our faith. Unbelief in 
any one article of faith properly proposed, ban- 
ishes the virtue of faith from the soul. Wilful 
or formal heresy destroys the habit of faith. 
Such heretics continue to believe some of the 
doctrines of Christianity by human faith, without 
having divine faith. 



FAITH. 4O9 

Having once impugned the veracity of God in 
rejecting a truth of faith, they can accept nothing 
on the authority of God with that certitude that 
belongs to divine faith. They have made ship- 
wreck of the faith. 

104. Formal heresy is an erroneous doctrine 
stubbornly held by a Christian with respect to 
some dogma of Divine Catholic Faith. An 
error regarding matters of faith not yet proposed 
by the Church for the belief of all, is not formal 
heresy and may be an excusable mistake. A 
doctrine which is only indirectly opposed to a 
dogma of faith is censured as dangerously near 
to heresy, rash or erroneous. The Church is the 
judge of sound doctrine and of heresy. 

He who errs in belief, even through vincible 
ignorance, may commit a sin in not removing his 
ignorance, but he is not a formal heretic. 
If the ignorance is invincible, that is, such as it 
is morally impossible for him to remove, the error 
is neither heretical nor even sinful. In the latter 
case, if a baptized person, not in visible com- 
munion with the Church, lives according to his 
conscience or has perfect contrition for his sins, 
he is in the way of salvation. If he is unbaptized 
and has come to the use of reason, the saving 
effects of baptism may be supplied by charity 
and the desire of baptism, 



4IO CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

105. Prophecy is the certain foretelling of 
future events which cannot be known by natural 
means, such as facts depending on the free will 
of God or of man. God alone knows such future 
events and he sometimes causes them to be 
foretold by his prophets so as to attest their 
divine mission. Mankind has always and uni- 
versally believed that God foreknows future 
events and sometimes communicates that knowl- 
edge to men. The general belief in oracles, 
auguries, etc., is a sufficient proof of this. 

As God is the author of prophecy, it is a strong 
proof of revealed truth when prophecy is ful- 
filled in confirmation of the divine mission of a 
religious teacher or of the inspiration of an 
apostle or evangelist. From the prophecies of 
the Old Testament can be drawn convincing 
proofs that Christ is the Messiah. 

Christ himself foretold many things that came 
to pass during the life of his Apostles, such as 
the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, his 
own crucifixion and resurrection, etc. 

These fulfilled prophecies are motives of 
credibility and confirm our faith in the divine 
origin of the Christian religion. 

Miracles are treated at page 327 of this book. 



THE MALICE OF SIN. 41 I 

[Note to Page 79.] 
THE MALICE OF SIN. 

106. The malice of sin lies in the fact that it is 
a deliberate choice to disobey God for the sake 
of some earthly good. 

He who is disposed to offend God for the 
sake of some unlawful gain or pleasure, sins with 
malice. All sins are not sins of malice. 

We may sin through wilful ignorance of duty, 
through the force of passion which human frailty 
fails to resist, or through a feeble will that readily 
yields to temptation. Any act involving greater 
love for some created good than for God and 
eternal happiness, is sinful, even though not 
tainted with malice. 

Such an act is a violation of God's order and 
is in opposition to the divine will, and hence 
is always a sin and deserving of punishment. 

The gravity of sin is sometimes lessened by 
excusable ignorance, excessive fear, coercion or 
inadvertence. On the other hand, venial sins or 
even acts in themselves innocent may become 
grave sins, through an error of conscience, evil 
intent, formal contempt of the lawgiver or fore- 
seen resultant scandal. 

If we judge that something lawful is unlawful 
and yet are willing to do it, we commit sin. 



412 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

This would be a deliberate opposition of our will 
to the will of God. 

Our actions may be good in themselves and 
yet be vitiated by the bad end to which they are 
directed. 

He who does a wrongful act in contempt of the 
authority of God sins grievously. 

Things good in themselves, but having the 
appearance of evil and leading others to sin, are 
not lawful for us to do. This would be giving 
scandal. 

The consent of the will is the chief element in 
sin. The mind presents to the will a forbidden 
object or immoral act, and the conscience in- 
forms us that it is wrong. If, then, the will gives 
consent to the suggestion, it falls into sin even 
before the act is done. 

107. A long-continued course of voluntary 
wrong-doing may finally result in such a blunting 
of the moral sense and perversion of the will, 
that it becomes indissolubly wedded to evil and 
utterly turned away from God. This is the state 
of the damned in Hell and becomes the chief 
cause of the eternity of their punishment. They 
cease to have correct views of the malice of sin, 
are cut off from God's grace, and hence are in- 
capable of repentance. Their wills have become 
so hostile to the will of God and their sense of 
right and wrong so perverted, that they tend to 



THE GRAVITY OF SIN. 413 

hate what is good and love what is evil, and are, 
in a sense, fixed in their state of perdition. 
Their aversion from God is so complete and 
deep-seated that they will not turn towards the 
throne of His mercy, are incapable of divine 
charity, and hence cannot conceive true sorrow 
for sin. As there is no pardon for sin without 
contrition, so there is no redemption for those 
in Hell. Mortal sin in itself deserves eternal 
punishment. 



THE GRAVITY OF SIN. 

108. The gravity of the guilt of sin is seen 
from what it is in itself and in respect to God, 
and from its effects. 

Sin is a revolt against the Lord of all and 
hence an act of supreme wickedness. It is a 
violation of the order of right and justice es- 
tablished by the Creator for the good of His 
creatures. 

It is a disregard for the dictates of conscience 
and an outrage on that sense of right and wrong 
implanted in the nature of man at his creation. 
It is an act of ingratitude towards our Heavenly 
Father and Divine Saviour. It is an injury to 
the Majesty of God and an act of disobedience 



414 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

to Him who has a right to command. It insults 
God by preferring creatures to Him. It defeats 
the object of God in creating men to love, serve 
and worship Him in time and in eternity. It is 
a vicious disregard of our eternal welfare, as it is 
the deliberate casting away of the grace of re- 
demption so dearly purchased on the Cross. 

It makes of no avail the merits of the sacrifice 
of Christ and crucifies Him a second time. 

" They crucify to themselves the Son of God 
afresh and put Him to open shame." (Heb. 
vi. 6.) 

It mars or brings to naught the work of 
sanctification wrought in us by the Holy Ghost. 

In some of its forms it does grave injury to 
our fellow-men by acts of injustice and by dis- 
turbing the good order of society and the peace 
of the family and the community. 

It often cruelly wounds the sensibilities of our 
neighbor and arouses him to wrath and violence. 
It is the great plague of humanity and the cause 
of most human woes. It is a source of discord 
and unhappiness among men. It damages the 
family, the state and the Church. 

It defiles the soul with guilt and makes it foul 
in the sight of God and His angels. It brings 
down upon us the condemnation of God and 
subjects us to punishment here and hereafter. 
It wounds and weakens the faculties of the soul 



CAPITAL VICES. 41 5 

and tends to lower the moral nature and debase 
us to the level of the brute. It entails upon us 
and upon others suffering and sorrow. Our sins 
will be visited on the heads of our descendants. 
It banishes the grace of God from the soul and 
thus kills its supernatural life. 

It severs us from the love of God and thrusts 
us out of His society and excludes us from the 
perfect communion of the saints. 

Sin impairs the powers of the body, darkens 
the intellect, weakens the will and tends to form 
bad habits, uproot the seeds of virtue and 
foster our vicious inclinations. 



[Note to Page 81.] 
CAPITAL VICES. 

109. There are seven vices which are the 
sources of many sins and hence are called 
capital. They are fountains of other vices. 

These vices are certain habitual dispositions 
to evil implanted in human nature by original 
sin. They are flaws in our faculties disposing 
them to act against the order of reason. They 
are, therefore, the fruitful sources of inordinate 
desires and sinful acts. 

These vices are not equally strong in all, nor 
are all of them equally strong in each of us. 



4l6 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Every man has his dominant vice and against 
this he has chiefly to be on his guard. This 
is commonly called his besetting sin or ruling 
passion. The capital vices are rooted in undue 
self-love. Selfishness is the soil in which 
flourish pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, 
envy and sloth. 

1 10. Pride is an inordinate love of our own ex- 
cellence, an undue self-esteem. It is the lifting of 
one's self above the level assigned to us by our 
Creator. (Summa ii-ii q. 162, 5.) 

St. Gregory calls pride the queen and mother 
of vices. The proud are numbered by the 
Apostle among " those who deserve death." 
(Rom. 1.) Pride is sometimes a mortal 
sin. 

" Pride is the beginning of every sin." (Ecclu. 
x.) Pride seeks to throw off the yoke of the law 
of God and thus it generally enters into every sin. 
" Thou hast broken my yoke, thou hast burst my 
bands and hast said I will not serve." (Jerem. 
ii. 20.) "The proud are an abomination to the 
Lord." (Prov. xvi. 5.) 

Some men are puffed up with self-esteem 
because of some natural ability which they have, 
and, forgetting that it comes from God, are 
proud. Some regard their success in life as due 
solely to themselves and not to the gifts of God, 
and so are guilty of pride. " God resisteth the 



CAPITAL VICES. 417 

proud and giveth his grace to the humble." 
(James iv. 6.) 

in. Vain-Glory is not the same as pride, 
though one of its chief offshoots, and itself a source 
of many sins. Pride loves to excel, vain-glory 
seeks to manifest unduly that excellence. 

Vain-glory consists in taking pleasure in praise 
on account of some quality or action that does 
not belong to us, or on account of something 
base and unworthy of praise. Vain-glory is the 
handmaid of pride and so makes a vain display 
of the things for which we esteem ourselves. 
Vain-glory rejoices in the praise of flatterers and 
when justly praised fails to refer all to God to 
whom alone glory belongs. 

Some think more highly of themselves than is 
just and more poorly of others than they deserve, 
and thus fall into the sin of vain-glory. 

From this evil root springs ambition, by which 
we unduly desire honors or power or seek office s 
by fraud or for which we are unfit, or strive to 
exalt ourselves to dignities to the exclusion of 
more worthy persons. 

Vain-glory leads to boasting by which we 
sound our own praises ; to rashness, by which 
we seek applause by foolish daring ; to hypoc- 
risy, by which we lay claim to virtue that Ave do 
not possess, and to obstinacy, by which we 
refuse to yield our opinion to a better. Con- 



41 8 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

tempt of others, discord, quarrellings and dis- 
obedience are often the result of vain-glory. 
Pride is opposed to humility. 



COVETOUSNESS. 

112. Covetousness is an inordinate love of 
riches. Excessive greed of gain and the unreason- 
able hoarding of wealth are sins of covetousness. 
Wealth is a God-given trust which we are neither 
to hoard uselessly, nor squander foolishly, but 
use judiciously for our own well-being, and for 
the good of mankind. 

Riches are rightly used in the relief of the 
miseries of the poor, the sick and the orphan, 
and in advancing the Kingdom of God on earth 
and providing for the dignity of divine worship. 
u Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his 
justice and all these things shall be added unto 
you.' , (Matt. vi. 33.) Vain hoarding of riches is 
avarice, the meanest of vices. 

When we love and use riches merely to 
minister to our luxury, to flatter our pride or 
make a vain display, we commit sin. 

Covetousness hardens the heart against the 
pleadings of the poor, leads to dishonesty, 



COVETOUSXESS. 4 1 9 

fraudulent dealing and rapine. It is also the 
source of that undue solicitude for the goods of 
this world against which Our Lord w r arned his 
disciples. Cupidity is the root of many evils, 
according to the Apostle. (I. Tim. vi. 10.) 

113. Luxury or lust is an immoderate desire 
or indulgence in carnal pleasures. It is sometimes 
called sensuality. It is the source of all the sins 
forbidden in the sixth and ninth commandments. 

Every unlawful indulgence in sensual pleas- 
ures is a sin of luxury. Mental blindness, 
fickleness of purpose, disgust for spiritual things, 
hatred of God's law and despair of salvation are 
some of the effects of long indulgence in this 
vice. Luxury is opposed to chastity. 

114. Anger is a feeling of ire against some 
person or thing on account of some injury done 
to us. Ans:er is not alwavs sinful. 

We are naturally and rightly angry when 
wronged, and zeal for justice impels us to right 
the wrong and chastise the wrong-doer so that 
he may refrain from injuring us again. Anger is 
sinful only when it is unjust, excessive, bitter or 
morose. Rage is excessive anger that blinds the 
reason, and leads to the infliction of more punish- 
ment than is deserved. Even just anger should 
be held in check and tempered with mercy. We 
must not harbor anger for any length of time, 



420 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

because it is liable to become morbid and turn 
to rancor and spite. 

Indignation is akin to anger, and is excited by 
grossly unworthy conduct towards ourselves or 
others, and is generally without sin. Anger 
leads to injurious and insulting words, quarrel 
ling, violence, contumely, and even to blasphemy^ 
when it is directed against God. 

Anger is opposed to meekness and gentleness. 

115. Gluttony is undue greediness in eating 
or drinking. It is opposed to temperance and 
sobriety. 

Eating or drinking for mere pleasure beyond 
what is proper to sustain health or strength is 
a sin of gluttony. 

Excess in drinking is usually called intemper- 
ance, and the result is ebriety and drunkenness. 

Drunkenness when it is brought about 
directly or willed in its known cause, is a morta) 
sin, if complete, because while it lasts it robs a 
man of the use of reason and hence of conscience, 
his moral guide. When these safeguards of 
morality are removed, there is grave danger that 
the passions, being now without curb, will lead 
men to sin. 

Over-indulgence in intoxicants of any kind is 
a sin, because it is an act of gluttony, an excess 
and a harmful misuse of a thing. 



COVETOUSNESS. 42 1 

Continued indulgence in the excessive use of 
intoxicants injures the powers of mind and body, 
unfits a man for the duties of life, brings disgrace 
upon himself and ruin upon his family. Drunk- 
enness is the fruitful mother of crime and the 
cause of much of the poverty that exists. It is 
a monstrous evil and one of the worst scourges 
of humanity. 

The most shocking scandals, disgraceful broils, 
assaults on the person and even murder itself, 
spring from intemperance. 

The Third Plenary Council of Baltimore says : 
" The misuse of intoxicating drinks is certainly 
one of the most deplorable evils of our age and 
country. It is a constant source of sin and 
misery. It has brought to utter ruin countless 
multitudes and entire families, and has sent very 
many souls to eternal perdition. All should, 
therefore, bend every energy to the rooting out 
of this baleful evil. Let liquor dealers reflect 
that this business is fraught with many and 
grave dangers and occasions of sin. If possible, 
let them engage in some more becoming way of 
making a living. 

" Let those who are engaged in the sale of 
liquor remember that if by their fault religion is 
dishonored or men brought to ruin, there is in 
Heaven an Avenger who will certainly inflict on 
them the severest penalties." Decrees, pp. 146-8. 



422 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

ENVY. 

1 1 6. Envy is sadness at another's good because 
it excels our own or seems to diminish our glory, 
It may be a mortal sin. 

" Envies, murders, drunkenness . . . they 
who do such things shall not obtain the Kingdom 
of God." (Gal.v. 21.) 

There is something of malice always in envy. 

" By the envy of the Devil, death entered into 
this world/' Wisd. ii. 

Envy rejoices at the misfortunes of those 
whom we fancy to be our rivals, and casts an 
evil eye on the happiness of others. 

Envy is the canker of the heart, the gall of 
bitterness in the cup of life. It pines away in 
view of the good fortune of others, and gnaws 
one's own heart while it backbites the neighbor. 
" If you have bitter zeal and strife in your hearts 
. • . this is earthly, devilish." (James iii. 15.) 

To grieve over the bounty of God whereby the 
sun shines on the good and bad alike, would be 
wicked. Sadness at another's good because we 
see it is wanting in us, is not envy but emulation, 
which is lawful when it merely prompts us to 
make up what is wanting in ourselves as com- 
pared with others. Indignation may be excited 
at seeing persons enjoying good things which 
they do not deserve and is lawful when it is just 
and not uncharitable. 



ENVY. 42 3 

To feel glad at the failure of the unworthy 
to reach stations to which they aspire, but for 
which they are manifestly unfit, is not sinful. 

Jealousy is akin to envy. It is a malign feel- 
ing towards one who is our rival for something 
we greatly desire, and prevails chiefly in love 
affairs and ambition. 

Odium is vexation of spirit and has in it some- 
thing of hatred. 

Envy gives rise to heartburnings, malice, 
slander, cruelty, hatred and desire of another's 
downfall, and is opposed to brotherly love. 

117. Sloth is a lazy habit of mind which makes 
us hate and shun labor and arduous duty. Sloth 
in its worst form causes us to have a loathing 
for the spiritual good we are bound to gain, 
because of the labor required to attain it. It is 
then mortal, in as much as it directly opposes 
divine charity and tends to withdraw us totally 
from the service of God. 

The Kingdom of God suflereth violence and 
only the active obtain it. The barren fig-tree 
was held accursed because it cumbered the 
ground and bore no fruit. 

To shirk duty is always a sin, the gravity of 
which depends on the nature of the duty and the 
degree in which it is neglected. 



424 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

To allow our talents to lie unused through 
sloth is also wrong. The unprofitable servant is 
condemned in the gospel. 

Sloth is the fruitful mother of many evils. 
Indolence, tepidity in God's service, neglect of 
the Sacraments, distractions in prayer, faint-heart- 
edness in the face of difficult duties, disgust for 
spiritual things and bitterness towards those who 
urge us to labor for our salvation, are the chief 
effects of sloth. 

That aridity of spirit which sometimes cools the 
fervor of devotion is not the same as tepidity. 

It is an affliction, which often comes upon us 
without our fault, and under it we need energy 
and patience to keep us from slighting or giving 
up our spiritual exercises. This dryness of 
spirit does not, however, lessen the value of 
prayer. The prayer of Our Lord in Gethsemane 
was uttered from a desolate heart, and in great 
agony of spirit. 



[Note to Page 85.] 
CONSCIENCE. 



118. Conscience is an application to a special 
case of our knowledge of the law, whereby we 
determine our duty with respect to an act to be 



COXSCIEXCE. 425 

done or omitted here and now. (St. Thomas, 
Summa 1-11 q. 19, 5.) 

We know the first elements of the natural law 
by the intuitive act of right reason. The other 
laws that bind us we learn from the Word of 
God and the teachings of the Church. 

119. Conscience is an act of judgment in view 
of a practical case based on our consciousness of 
the distinction between right and wrong. This 
consciousness is called the moral sense. 

Man's will remains free under the action of 
conscience. It guides and commands, but does 
not coerce the will. 

There is always danger, however, in disregard- 
ing the promptings of grace. 

Judiciously formed it is for each one his final 
rule of moral conduct. What it certainly com- 
mands us to do here and now, in view of all the 
conditions of the case, we are morally bound to 
do, and what it forbids we can never do without 
sin. When it merely counsels or simply permits, 
we are free to act or not as prudence may suggest. 

There are, however, defective states of con- 
science that must be rectified before we can 
accept it as a safe guide. Conscience is not 
infallible. Being an act of human reason, it is, 
like all human judgments, liable to error. 



4^6 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

If the error is invincible, that is, beyond our 
power to correct, we must still follow the dictates 
of such erring conscience. 

If the error is due to our own fault, to wilful 
ignorance, for instance, of some law that we 
ought to know, and if we have some reason to 
suspect that our conscience is in error, we must 
correct the error before acting. What a man 
after careful enquiry and due consideration judges 
to be his duty, this he must do, under pain of sin. 

120. To do what is bad or what we thLik is 
bad, is wrong. An act to be right must not only 
be good, but must appear so to us. Hence it is 
not lawful to act against even a culpably erroneous 
conscience ; neither is it lawful to obey it. In this 
case, as well as in that of a doubtful conscience 
the only safe course is to abstain from acting and 
in the meantime labor to correct the error or 
remove the doubt. 

If the opinions for and against the obligation 
are each truly probable, we are free to follow 
either. 

Where the validity of a sacrament or condi- 
tions absolutely necessary for salvation are in 
question, we must follow the opinion that favors 
the law. 

Conscience is sometimes perplexed, that is, 
practically forced to choose between two evils. 
In this case we must prefer the lesser evil. This 



CONSCIENCE. 427 

does not imply that it is ever lawful to do wrong. 
When either of two actions is inevitable, we do 
right in doing the best we can under the 
circumstances. Conscience following the divine 
law is supreme even in the face of the command 
of a superior. 

121. A scrupulous conscience is one that 
regards lawful things as forbidden, or makes much 
of trifles. It is formed on vain fears rather than 
on knowledge, and is often blind to grave duties. 
It is sometimes due to a morbid anxiety about 
one's self. When it is the result of self-conceit, 
as it often is, the only remedy for it is humility. 

Wise direction and spiritual counsel are needed 
to cure this disease of the soul, and give juster 
views of things to the scrupulous. 

Lack of power to distinguish between real 
duties and matters of counsel is often the cause of 
scruples. Sound advice is needed in such a case. 
Prayer and concern for the welfare of others are 
most useful remedies for scruples. 

On the plea of following conscience gross 
injustice is sometimes done to others by scrupu- 
lous persons, who often have a clear vision for 
the mote in their neighbor's eye while blind to 
the beam in their own. 

122. A lax conscience is one that is formed on 
the maxims of the world or on mere human laws 
and self-interest rather than on the law of God. 



428 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

It is one that judges, on insufficient grounds, that 
a thing is lawful whereas it is unlawful, or that a 
sin is venial while in fact it is mortal. 

Conscience applies the law of God, and is 
not free to act without regard to law. Freedom 
of conscience does not mean freedom from the 
restraint of divine or human law, but freedom 
from coercion. 

123. The ruling of conscience may either pre- 
cede, accompany, or follow T the act. Before an 
action, conscience judges that it is good and either 
counsels or commands it, or it pronounces it bad 
and orders us to avoid it. 

During an action it continues to bear witness 
unto us as to the morality of our conduct, and 
either encourages us to proceed or forbids us to 
continue. 

After an action, it rewards us by approval, if 
the action was good, or punishes us by remorse, 
if our conduct was bad. 

124. When conscience approves of one line of 
conduct as more perfect than another, we are not 
bound to do the more perfect thing as long as 
what we do is good, unless we are bound by vow 
to observe the counsels or to choose the better 
part. 

Conscience interprets and applies the law, 
judges of the morality of our acts and executes 
the sentence by rewarding us with approval or 



PRUDENCE. 429 

punishing us with remorse. It is also our 
accuser, and the witness for or against us. 

If conscience is debarred from performing 
these functions in this life it will surely perform 
them in the next. Then it will become the worm 
that never dieth, and fan the fire that is never 
quenched. 

Conscience, since human nature was impaired 
by original sin, is not free from imperfections. 
It is more or less obscured by ignorance, and 
responds only feebly to the will of God. Our 
passions, prejudices and self-interests hinder the 
free play of conscience, and sometimes delude 
us by giving us a false conscience. Lax public 
opinion and the maxims of the world tend to 
blunt the sharp edge of conscience and lull us 
into a false security. It is our duty to be active 
in enlightening our conscience, and to pray for 
the grace of God to enable us to conform our 
will to His. 



PRUDENCE. 

125. As prudence rules all the virtues, so also 
does it aid us in forming our conscience. 

Prudence is that practical wisdom whereby we 
guide our conduct to a good end and select the 
fitting means to that end. it dilters from con- 
science in this, that it is not concerned solely 



43° CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

with acts to be done here and now, but looks to 
future designs and the means of achieving them. 
It differs from wisdom in as much as it is 
practical and not speculative. It has to do with 
particular duties rather than with generalities or 
abstract truths. 

It is more than knowledge, as it is knowledge 
turned to use. 

The prudent man uses counsel in selecting 
the end and the means so that his conduct may 
be right and productive of good. 

He uses judgment in the choice of means so 
as to avail himself of the most fitting, and applies 
these means with a hearty good will to the end 
in view. 

The prudent man in making up his mind is 
guided by his experience of the past and his 
knowledge of present conditions, and is docile in 
learning from books and wise men how best to 
achieve his purpose. Skill enables him to find 
the means and adapt them to the end. Fore- 
sight helps him to see in advance the difficulties 
that may arise and the probable results of the 
action proposed. His reasoning powers are 
exercised in making choice of the means most 
likely to effect the object in view. He is 
cautious in what he undertakes, vigilant in 
guarding against mistakes and uses due care and 
diligence in the work in hand. 



CECUMENICAL COUNCILS. 43 I 

Craft, guile and fraud have no place in 
Christian prudence. 

A cunning use of bad means to gain even a 
good end is no part of prudence. 

It is lawful to take due care for our future 
temporal welfare, but over-anxiety is that solici- 
tude against which we are warned in the gospel. 
Solicitude may be unlawful in three ways, viz. : 
if we seek temporal goods as our final end and 
aim, or take excessive pains to acquire them to 
the neglect cf spiritual things, or allow ourselves 
to be turned aside from duty by fear of coming 
to want thereby. " Be not, therefore, solicitous 
for to-morrow. Sufficient for the day is the evil 
thereof." (Matt. vi. 34.) 



[Note to Page 67.] 
CECUMENICAL COUNCILS. 

126. An (Ecumenical Council is a general coun- 
cil of the Bishops of the Catholic Church called 
by the Pope and presided over by him or his 
legate. It is the reunion of the members of the 
whole teaching body and has the assistance of 
the Holy Ghost, so that its decisions in matters 
of faith and morals are infallible, if acquiesced in 
by the Sovereign Pontiff. 






43 2 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

There have been twenty general councils, 
beginning with the Council of the Apostles (a. p. 
52) at Jerusalem, and ending with the Vatican 
Council held in Rome, a. d. 1S69. 

127. The Council of Jerusalem decreed that 
the rite of circumcision was not necessary for 
salvation in the Christian Church. 

128. The Council of Nice, a. d. 325, held in 
the time of Constantine the Great, and summoned 
by him with the approval of Pope Sylvester I., 
condemned the errors of Arius, who taught that 
Christ, although the Son of God, was not of the 
substance of the Father from all eternity. To 
guard against this error in the future, the words 
" con substantial with the Father*' were inserted 
in the Creed in relation to Christ. 

This council fixed the time of Easter, about 
which there was a dispute between the Eastern 
and the Western Church. It also decided that 
heretics, on being reconciled to the Church, need 
not be baptized. 

129. The Council of Constantinople, a. d. 
381, condemned the error of Macedonius, who 
taught that the Holy Ghost was a creature of 
God. This council added to the Nicene Creed 
the article : " We believe in the Holy Ghost, 
Lord and giver of life, who proceedeth from the 
Father, who with the Father and Son is adored 



OECUMENICAL COUNCILS. 433 

and glorified, who spoke by the Prophets.'' 
This is found in the Creed of the Mass ( see page 
13 of this book). 

The council in defining this doctrine followed 
the lead of Pope Damasus who, in a synod at 
Rome, a. D. 378, decreed: "If anyone denies 
that the Holy Ghost is, as the Son, truly and 
properly of the divine substance and true God, 
let him be anathema." This council was not 
presided over by a Papal Legate and only a 
portion of its decrees was confirmed by the 
Holy See. 

130. Council of Carthage, not general, a. d. 
418, condemned Pelagius. 

131. Council of Ephesus, a. d. 431, condemned 
the error of Nestorius, who taught that there 
were two persons in Christ and that the Blessed 
Virgin Mary could only be called the mother of 
the human person of Christ. He refused her 
the title of Mother of God, but was willing to call 
her the Mother of Christ. This council had the 
sanction of Pope Celestine. It confirmed the 
decrees of the Holy See which condemned the 
errors of Pelagius in regard to original sin, free 
will and grace. 

Pelagius was of Great Britain, and brought out 

his novel doctrine in Rome about the year 400. 

He taught that man without the aid of divine 









434 CATHOLIC DOCTEIXE. 

grace could lead a life pleasing to God, although 
giving the name of grace to man's aptitude for 
moral excellence and free will inclining to virtue. 
He regarded the existence of conscience as a 
proof that our moral nature was not impaired by 
the sin of Adam. He denied the existence of 
Purgatory. 

132. The Council of Chalcedon, a. d. 451, 
under Pope Leo, condemned the error of Euty- 
ches, who taught that there was only one nature 
in Christ. The dogmatic epistle of Pope Leo to 
Flavian, in which is denned the two distinct 
natures in the one person of Christ, was accepted 
by this council. 

133 The Second Council of Constantinople, 
a. D. 553, condemned certain doctrines found in 
writings attributed to Origen. Some of these 
errors were : that the souls of men were created 
before their bodies, that even in Hell redemption 
is possible, that the blessed in Heaven can fall 
again, and that the Mosaic account of Eden is 
merely an allegory. 

This council also condemned the doctrines of 
the " Three Chapters," that is, the works of Thea- 
dore of Mopsuesta, Theoderet and Iba, which 
favored the Nestorian heresy. 

In the year 527, the error of Cassian, who held 
that a man could bv free will obtain faith without 



CECUMENJCAL COUNCILS. 435 

any enabling grace, was condemned by the synod 
of Orange, 

134. The Third Council of Constantinople, 
a. d. 68 1 , condemned the error of the Monothelites, 
who taught that there was only one will in Christ. 
The originator of this heresy was Sergius, Patri- 
arch of Constantinople, who was upheld in his 
opinion by the Emperor Heraclius. 

The decrees of this council were confirmed by 
Pope Leo II. 

135. The Second Council of Nice, a. d. 787, 
under Pope Hadran, condemned the errors of 
the Iconoclasts, that is, those who protestec) 
against the veneration of sacred statues and pic- 
tures of Christ and the saints. The Emperor Lea 
Isaurus, at the instigation of the Jews, had 
ordered all sacred images to be removed from 
the churches, a. d. 726. St. John Damascene 
defended the pious use of images. 

136. The Fourth Council of Constanti- 
nople, a. D. 869, was the last general council 
held in the East. This council deposed Photius, 
the author of the Greek schism, who had been 
intruded into the See of Constantinople, and rein- 
stated Ignatius, who was the true Patriarch. 

137. The First Lateran Council was con- 
voked in Rome by Pope Celestine II., a. d. 1123. 
This council confirmed the concordat made at 



436 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

Worms (11 22) between the Pope and the Em- 
peror. By this agreement the Emperor resigned 
his claim to invest Bishops with jurisdiction in 
spiritual matters, leaving this entirely in the 
hands of the Pope, though still retaining a cer- 
tain control over the temporalities of the Sees. 
This council renewed the grant of indulgences 
made by Urban II. in favor of the Crusaders, and 
still further provided for the reformation of eccle- 
siastical discipline. 

138. The Second Lateran Council, a. d. 
1 139, condemned the errors of Peter de Bruis and 
Arnold de Brescia, who taught that the Pope and 
the clergy should be subject in all things to the 
civil power, and hold no property, but depend 
entirely on the alms of the faithful. This teach- 
ing^ led to sedition, and to the pillage of cardi- 
nals' houses, and an attack on the temporal 
dominions of the Pope. This council rescinded 
the acts of the anti-pope, Peter Leo. 

The great adversary of Arnold of Brescia was 
St. Bernard, who preached the Second Crusade 
after Edessa was taken by the Turks, a. d. 1144. 

The Pope about this time was obliged to leave 
Rome, He went to reside at Viterbo, until it was 
safe to return to Rome. 

This council also strongly condemned simony, 
that is, the sale of anything sacred, and prohib- 



(ECUMENICAL COUNCILS. 43/ 

ited it under the severest penalties, and caused 
the rule of celibacy to be more faithfully ob- 
served by the clergy. 

139. The Third Council of Lateran, a. d. 
1 179, condemned the errors of the Waldenses, 
who taught that even unordained persons could 
administer the sacraments and perform all the 
functions of a priest. They also held that all 
oaths are unlawful. The Albigenses, who re- 
vived the heresy of the Gnostics and Manichae- 
ans, were also condemned. The Manichaeans 
taught that there were two Creators, one of good 
and the other of evil, eternally in conflict ; and 
that matter originated with the evil principle. 
They therefore forbade marriage, spurned the 
relics of the saints, and denied the resurrection 
of the body. 

These doctrines had already been condemned 
by Pope Leo and by the Council of Toledo, 
a. d. 447. 

This council condemned usury and anything 
savoring of simony in the administration of the 
sacrament. It also prescribed that the vote of 
two-thirds of the Cardinals should be necessary 
to elect a Pope. It enforced the " Truce of God" 
and provided for the teaching of cloister and 
cathedral schools. 

140. The Fourth Council of Lateran, 



43^ CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

A. D. 12 15, under Innocent III., condemned the 
teaching of Abbot Joachim, who in writing 
against the doctrine of the Trinity as set forth 
by Peter Lombard, fell into error. The univer- 
sal Church was more fully represented at this 
council than at any that preceded it. The 
Patriarchs of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria 
and Constantinople were present either in person 
or by legates. Seventy-one primates and arch- 
bishops, four hundred and twelve bishops, and 
eight hundred priors and abbots were present. 
Embassadors from all the princes of Europe 
took part in the secular business of the council. 

A new Crusade was organized with the co- 
operation of these secular representatives. 

This council condemned the errors of Beren" 
garius relating to the real presence of Our Lord 
in the Eucharist. In its definition of this 
doctrine the word transubstqntiation is used for 
the first time in a dogmatic decree. Heretics 
were formally cut of from the communion of the 
Church, and the civil power invoked to restrain 
them from teaching their errors. All the faithful 
were commanded to confess their sins once a 
year at least, and receive the Eucharist within 
the Easter time. 

141. The Council of Lyons, a. d. 1245, 
under Innocent IV., found the Emperor Frederic 
1 1, guilty of heresy, perjury and betrayal of the 



(ECUMENICAL COUNCILS. 439 

Christian cause to the Saracen invaders, and 
excommunicated and deposed him. The princes 
of Germany recognized the justice of this sen- 
tence, and elected another Emperor in his stead. 

142. The Second Council of Lyons, a. d. 
1274, consisted of five hundred Bishops, the 
Patriarchs of Constantinople and Antioch, the 
grand master of the Knights of St. John and a 
multitude of mitred Abbots. Philip, King of 
France, James II. of Aragon, and embassadors 
from Germany, England, and the kingdoms of 
Northern Europe represented the civil'power. A 
reconciliation was effected between the Greek 
and Latin Churches, and the Creed with the 
words " and from the Son " was chanted in both 
languages. The Greek bishops addressed the 
presiding pontiff, Gregory X., as " Sovereign Pon- 
tiff, GEcumenical Pope and Common Father of 
Christendom." 

Rules to prevent undue delay in the election 
of Popes were made by this council and are 
still in force. 

143. The Council of Vienne in France, 
A. d. 131 1, under Clement V., suppressed the 
order of Good Templers, at the instance of 
Philip the Fair, King of France. 

This council condemned the false mysticism 
of the Fratricelli, Begbards and Beguins. The 



44° CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

chief of these errors was that a person in this 
life could arrive at such a state of absolute per- 
fection that he could no longer commit sin, and 
was therefore absolved from obedience to any 
human or ecclesiastical law. 

144. The Council of Constance, a. d. 141 4, 
was calied to put an end to the papal schism 
which so long harassed the Church with rival 
Popes. It was held under the auspices of the 
Emperor Sigismund. The three claimants to 
the papacy were induced to resign and a new 
Pope elected in the person of Cardinal Otho 
Colonna. Ho was anointed and crowned as 
Pope with the title of Martin V., Nov. 21, 141 7. 
.Some of the decrees of this council were not 
approved by the Pope. 

Among the decrees approved, were those con- 
demning the errors of Wycliffe, John Huss and 
Jerome of Prague. Some of these errors were 
that in the consecrated Host the substance of 
the bread and wine remain ; that a priest hi 
mortal sin loses the power of consecrating, 
absolving, etc. ; that perfect contrition frees one 
from the duty of confession ; that nobody can 
know, without a divine revelation, that he or 
anybody else is the head of any particular church, 
and that it is not necessary that the Church 
should be under one single head. 



OECUMENICAL COUNCILS. 44I 

145. The Council of Florence first assem- 
bled at Basle, a. d. 1431, in the time of Martin 
V. At this time the rights of the Pope and a 
General Council in relation to each other, were 
greatly discussed. The Council of Basle claimed 
an (Ecumenical Council was superior to the Pope. 
This claim was resisted by Pope Eugenius IV., 
who dissolved the council, and assembled a 
General Council at Florence, a. d. 1439. At 
this council terms of union between the Greek 
and Latin Churches were agreed upon, and peace 
for a time prevailed. The chief point settled 
was that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the 
Father and the Son as from one source. 

146. The Fifth Council of Lateran, a. d. 
15 12, was convoked by Julius II., and continued 
after his death by Leo X. 

The primacy and rights of the Holy See in rela- 
tion to General Councils were amply set forth by 
this council, though not by way of formal defi- 
nition. The Pragmatic Sanction, a device ap- 
proved by the irregular Council of Basle, was 
annulled. A Concordat between Leo and 
Francis L of France was substituted for this. 
Leo X. in the Bull " Pastor sEtermcs" asserts 
that the authority of the Pope extends over all 
councils, and that he alone has the right and 
power to convoke, transfer and dissolve them. 

147. The Council of Trent, a. d. 1545- 



442 CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 

1563 was first opened Dec. 3, 1545, by the 
Legates of Pope Paul III. After being sus- 
pended for four years on account of the troubled 
state of Europe, it was again assembled at Trent 
by Julius III., a. d. 1551. After one year it 
was again interrupted for ten years. . It was 
again opened January, 1562, and continued till 
its close in December, 1563. Pius IV., January, 
1564, in his Bull u Benedictus Deus" confirmed 
the decrees of the Council of Trent. These 
decrees condemn the many errors of Luther, 
Calvin, Melancthon and the so-called modern 
reformers. The doctrines of the Church on 
Original Sin, Faith, Justification and the Sacrifice 
of the Mass and the Sacraments were clearly 
defined. Many important and salutary decrees 
were passed for the reformation of Church dis- 
cipline and the removal of abuses. 

Communion under one kind was declared 
sufficient. It was defined that in Communion, 
Christ is not only spiritually, but really received 
in a sacramental manner; that the Mass is a 
true propitiatory sacrifice ; that bishops appointed 
by the Roman Pontiff are true and lawful 
bishops, and not of human institution ; that the 
authority of the Pope is supreme in the Church ; 
that the priesthood is visible and was instituted 
by Christ; that the Church has received from 
Christ the power of granting indulgences, etc. 






OECUMENICAL COUNCILS. 443 

The decrees of the council were confirmed by- 
Pope Pius IV. 

148. The Vatican Council, a. d. 1870, held 
at Rome under Pius IX., defined the dogma of 
the Infallibility of the Pope. 

Decrees were passed defining Catholic Doc- 
trine in relation to the creation of the world, 
Divine Revelation, the relations between reason 
and faith, the constitution of the Church, the 
primacy of St. Peter, etc. . . . 

The council was suspended in the midst of 
its work by the breaking out of war in Europe. 



[Note to page 122.] 
CATHOLIC EDUCATION. 

149. One of the chief duties of parents is to 
give their children a good religious and secular 
education. It is only thus that the welfare of 
soul and body can be effectively promoted. 
The development and training of the moral and 
intellectual faculties are thereby equally effected.. 
In no other way can children be so thoroughly 
impressed with the great truth that religion is of 
at least equal importance with worldly concerns. 

This combined religious and secular education 
can best be given to Catholic children in Cath- 
olic schools. It is, therefore, the duty of pastors 
and people to establish and support parochial 



444 



CATHCLIC DOCTRINE. 



schools, in which faith and morals are taught as 
a part of the regular course of instruction. 
Such schools have also the additional advantage 
of constant Catholic influence and association. 

The spirit of religion and virtue prevails in 
them ; and the principles of faith and morals 
are constantly inculcated and exemplified. In 
them piety, the religious sentiments of the 
heart, aud the moral faculties of the soul are 
duly exercised and guided aright. 

Having this in mind, and in view of the grave 
dangers to faith and morals arising from the 
secular system of education now prevailing, the 
Third Plenary Council of Baltimore ordered 
that Catholic schools should be established in 
every parish where practicable, and as soon as 
possible, and that the faithful should support 
these schools, and send their children to be 
educated in them, save in the few cases where 
parents provide, otherwise or elsewhere, an 
equally good religious education for their chil- 
dren, each Bishop in his own diocese being the 
judge of such cases. (III. Plen. vi. 199.) 

A prime objection to so-called neutral or com- 
mon schools is that they discredit religion by 
ignoring it. They feebly, if at all, inculcate 
principles of morality, because they are debarred 
from fortifying their moral teaching by the 
sanctions derived from revealed religion. 



INDEX. 



Note. — Roman numerals refer to the parts, common numbers 
to paragraphs, and Ap. to Appendix. 



Abraham, i, 49. 
Absolution, iii, 196. 
Abstinence, ii, 117, Ap., 66. 
Abuse of Grace, iii, 8. 
Action of each Person of 

the Trinity, i, 11. 
Acts of Faith, etc., i, 145. 
Actual Grace, iii, 3. 

Sin, i, 156. 

Adam and Eve, i, 37. 
Adoring God, ii, 18. 
Adultery, ii, 79. 
Advent, Ap., 22. 

, Anthems of, Ap., 23. 

Agnus Dei, Aj)., 18. 
Alb, the, Ap., 83. 
All may be saved, i, 100. 
All Saints Dav, Ap., 48. 

Souls Day, Ap., 49. 

Altar of Sacrifice, iii, 57. 
Amen, iii, 41. 
Amice, Ap., 82. 
Analogy, iii, 96. 
Angelus, iii, 45, Ap., 59. 
Angels, i, 30. 
Anger, ii, 75. 
Annunciation, Ap., 58. 
Anointing, iii, 246. 
Antichrist, iii, 276. 
Apostates, ii, 23. 
Apostles, names of, i, 114. 
Apostles' Creed, i, 21. 
Ark of Covenant, i, 52. 
Arms of Soldiers of Christ, 

iii, 130. 
Ascension of Our Lord, 

I 88, Ap., 37. 
Ash ^Wednesday, Ap., 16. 
Attrition, iii, 202. 
Authority of Church to 

make Jaws, ii, 110. 



Baptism, iii, 98. 

, ceremonies of, iii, 112. 

Baptismal promises, iii, 

106. 

water, iii, 111. 

■ name, iii, 112. 

Baptism, first sacrament 

received, iii, 100. 
, instituted by Christ, 

iii, 99. 

, its effects, iii, 107. 

, its matter and form, 

iii, 101. 

, manner of, iii, 102. 

necessarv, iii, 107. 

of adults, iii, 109. 

of desire and of blood, 

iii, 107. 

of infants, iii, 104. 

the minister of, iii, 103. 

Bearing the Cross, Ap., 12. 
Beatific vision, iii, 261. 
Benediction with Blessed 

Sacrament, Ap., 69. 
Benignity, iii, 129. 
Betraval of Jesus, i, 76. 
Betrothal, iii, 243. 
V Binding and Loosing," 

iii, 172. 
Birth of Christ, i, 57. 
Bishop of Borne, the Pope, 

i, 133. 
Blasphemy, ii, 44. 
Blessed candles, Ap., 15. 
Blessed Virgin Mary, As- 
sumption of, Ap., 60. 

Nativity of, Ap., 57. 

■ Titles of, Ap., 56. 

Bodies of damned, iii, 272. 
Books, immoral, ii, 97. 
Burial of Christ, i, 83. 



449 



45° 



CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 



Candlemas, Ap., 31. 

Canon of Scripture, i, 14. 

Capital sins, i, 158. 

Catholic Church, i, 125. 

the true Church, i, 128. 

Catholic Education, Ap., 95. 

Causes excusing from 
Mass, ii, 113. 

Chalice, Ap., 75. 

Change of substance effec- 
ted by God, iii, 140. 

Chanting of Passion, Ap., 
32. 

Charity, i, 143. 

required for Holy 

Communion, iii, 157. 

the most excellent 

virtue, i, 13. 

Chasuble, Ap., 87. 
Cheating, ii, 84. 
Chief truths, i, 23. 
Christ appears to many, i, 

107. 
Christ, Divinity of, i, 106. 

at Nazareth, i, 61. 

at right hand of the 

Father, i, 108. 

before Caiphas, i, 80. 

■ before Pilate, i, 80. 

condemmed, i, 80. 

Christians at Antioch,i,116. 
Christmas Day, Ap., 24. 
Christ our Model, i, 56. 
Christ's presence under 

either species, iii, 138. 
Christ the Way, etc., i, 55. 
Church, i, 117. 

Apostolic, i, 126. 

a society, i, 119. 

Visible head of, i, 133. 

Ciborium, Ap., 77. 
Cincture, Ap., 84. 
Circumcision, i, 93. 
Circumcision of Our Lord, 

Ap., 26. 
Circumstances, ii, 9. 
Civil law, ii, 64. 
Clean oblation of Malachi. 

iii, 56. 
Cleansing the Temple, i,62. 



Cloven tongues, i, 112. 

Commandments, Ten, ii,14. 

of Church, ii, 109. 

Communicating unworth- 
ily, iii, 154. 

Communion^ffects, iii, 152. 

frequent, ii, 121. 

manner of, iii, 162. 

of children, ii, 121. 

of Saints, i, 131, iii, 284. 

in the Mass, iii, 52. 

prayers, iii, 164. 

preparation, iii, 153. 

thanksgiving, iii, 163. 

Conditions for frequent 
communion, iii, 151. 

Conduct in natural order, 
iii, 5. 

Confession, iii, 178. 

Confession a duty, iii, 179. 

ceremonies of, iii, 118. 

early usage, iii, 181. 

invalid without true 

sorrow, iii, 191. 

method of, iii, 194. 

motives of, iii, 189. 

of sin, ii, 118. 

salutary, iii, 180. 

sins forgotten, iii, 190. 

— - sins reserved, iii, 197. 

Confidence, iii, 30. 

Confirmation, iii, 113. 

■ effects of, iii, 119. 

fruits of, iii, 129. 

imprints a character, 

iii, 124. 

in Greek Church, iii, 

115. 

— - its matter and form, 
iii, 117. 

of children, iii, 120. 

of Samaritans, iii, 114. 

by Bishops only, iii, 16. 

preparation, iii, 126. 

useful, but not neces- 
sary, iii, 121. 

Consanguinity, iii, 243. 

Consecration at Mass,iii,61. 

Conscience, ii, 5. 

a guide, ii, 6. 



INDEX. 



45' 



Conscience, Examination 
of, iii, 182. 

manner of, iii, 185. 

Conspiracy of Jews, i, 75, 

Contentment, ii, 103. 

Continence, iii, 129. 

Contrition, iii, 199. 

Contrition absolutely nec- 
essary, iii, 200. 

Contrition, perfect, iii, 201. 

Conversion of many, i, 90. 

Cooperation with Christ, 
iii, 210. 

" Corinthian Sinner," iii, 
215. 

Corpus Christi, Ap., 41. 

Councils, general, of 
Church, i, 129. 

Courtship, iii, 244. 

Covetousness, ii, 102. 

Creation, i, 29. 

Creator, i, 28. 

Creatures bound to obey 
Law, ii, 4. 

Creed of Missal, i, 22. 

of Pius IV,, Ap., 94. 

Creeds, the, i, 20. 

Cross, the emblem of Chris- 
tianity, Ap., 9. 

Crozier, the, Ap., 91. 

Crucifix, Ap., 11. 

Crucifixion, i, 81. 

Cursing, ii, 43. 

Custodian of Faith, i, 118. 

Dances, forbidden, ii, 81. 
Death, iii, 256. 

of Christ, i, 82. 

of just, iii, 257. 

uncertain, iii, 257. 

Debts, ii, 83. 

Decades of beads, iii, 47. 

Delaying repentance, iii, 

186. 
Deliver us from evil, iii. 40. 
Denying the Faith, ii, 21. 
Despair, ii, 24. 
Destiny of man, i, 39. 
Detraction, ii, 91. 
Devil, i, 34. 



Devout prayers, iii, 18. 

Didache, iii, 75. 

Dispensation from Ecclesi- 
astical Law, ii, 108. 

Dispensations compared 
with indulgences, iii, 222, 

Distractions in prayer, iii, 
23. 

Divine and Human Law, 
ii, 11. 

positive Law, A, 14. 

Will, the Law, ii, 2. 

worship properly held 

in Church, iii, 65. 

Divorce, iii, 245. 

Dogmatic definition, i, 118, 
Ap., 54. 

Dreams and charms, ii, 35. 

Drunkenness, ii, 74. 

Duels, ii, 72. 

Duties to God, iii, 25. 

of parents, ii, 60. 

of man and wife, iii, 244. 

of those in charge of 

sick, iii, 253. 

Dutiful children, their re- 
ward, ii, 63. 

Duty of believing mys- 
teries, i, 25. 

of making Acts of 

Faith, etc., i, 145. 

towards parents, ii, 56. 

Dying in grace, iii, 257. 

Easter, Ap., 34. 
Education, Ap., 95. 
Ecclesiastical and Civil 

Law, ii, 12. 
Eight Beatitudes, iii, 283. 
Effects of prayer, iii, 12. 
Ember days, Ap., 65. 
Employers of labor, ii, 66. 
End does not justify the 

means, ii, 90. 

of Man, ii, 3. 

End of world, iii, 273. 
Ends for which Mass is 

offered, iii, 68. 
Episcopal insignia, Ap.,89. 
Epiphany, Ap., 28. 



AV 



CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 



Epistle and gospel of Mass, 
iii, 81. 

Equality of the Three Per- 
sons, i, 10. 

Eternal life, iii, 281. 

— -rest, iii, 262. 

Eucharist, iii, 131. 

a sacrifice and sacra- 
ment, iii, 146. 

God's attributes shown 

therein, iii, 167. 

■ mode of Christ's pres- 
ence in, iii, 137. 

■, its institution, iii, 135. 

in the Liturgies, iii, 141. 

proofs of, iii, 134. 

Example of Parents, ii, 62. 

Exemption from Original 
Sin, i, 47. 

Excommunication, object 
of, iii, 289. 

Excommunications, iii, 287. 

Explicit and implicit Faith, 
ii, 19. 

Extreme Unction, iii, 246. 

, its effects, iii, 250. 

, form, iii, 247. 

, minister of, iii, 249. 

to whom adminis- 
tered, iii, 252. 

words of St. James, 

iii, 248. 

Evangelical counsels, iii, 
263. 

Everlasting punishment, 
iii, 278. 

Evil of Sin, i, 101. 

Faith, i, 141. 
Fallen Angels, i, 33. 
Fall of Man, i, 41. 
False oaths, ii, 42. 
False testimony, ii, 87. 
weights and measures, 

ii, 84. 
Fasting, ii, 116. 
■ before Communion, iii, 

158. 
" Feed my Lambs," i, 85. 
Festivals, Ap., 19. 



Fidelity of servants, ii, 68. 
Fire of Hell, iii, 268. 
First disciples, i, 61. 

miracle, i, 62. 

Flight into Egypt, i, 58. 
Forbidden fruit, i, 38. 

oaths, ii, 42. 

Forgiveness of enemies, iii, 

36. 

of injuries, ii, 107. 

of sin, i, 160. 

Fortitude, i, 149. 
Fortune-telling, ii, 36. 
Forty days' fast, i, 60. 
-hours' devotion, Ap., 

71. 
Free will, iii, 7 
Frequent confession. ii,119. 
Fruits of Mass, iii, 70. 

Garden of Eden, i, 37. 
Gates of Hell, i, 130. 
General Confession, Hi, 184. 

Judgment, iii, 277. 

■ Judgment, effects of, 

iii, 279. 
Genuflections at Mass, iii, 

82. 
Gethsemane, i, 78. 
" Give us this day our 

daily bread/' iii, 35. 
Glorified bodies, iii, 271. 

Body of Christ, i, 108. 

Body of Christ in 

Eucharist, iii, 143. 
Glory of Christ, i, 105. 
God, i, 1. 

■ Eternal, i, 4. 

■ Ineffable, i, 3. 

God-Man, the, i, 97. 
God the Father, i, 7. 

the Son, i, 8. 

Golden Rule, ii, 106. 
Good Friday, i, 103. 

works, i, 151. 

works enlivened by 

charity, i, 152. 
Gospel, i, 115. 
Grace, iii, 1. 
necessary, iii, 4. 



INDEX. 



453 



Great commandment, ii, 

104. 
Guardian Angels, i, 31. 
Guilt and effects of bad 

communion, iii, 155. 

Hades, iii, 267. 
Hail Mary, iii, 42. 
Hallowed be Thy name, 

iii, 32. 
Halo of glory, iii, 263. 
Hasty marriages, iii, 239. 
Hatred, ii, 75. 
Head of Church, i, 133. 
Hearing Mass on Sundaj^s, 

ii, 49, 111. 
Heart, a symbol of love, 

Ap., 45. 
Heaven, iii, 260. 
Heavenly Bread, i, 68. 
Heaven the Home of God's 

Glory, iii, 31. 
Hell, iii, 264. 

eternal, i, 159. 

Heretics, ii, 20. 
Hierarchy, iii, 226. 

of jurisdiction, iii, 227. 

of order, iii, 227. 

Holiness of Church, i, 124. 
Holy Communion, iii, 148. 
Communion at Easter, 

iii, 150. 
Communion, duty of 

receiving, iii, 149. 
Communion, under 

both kinds, iii, 150. 
Holy Days, ii, 114. 

of obligation, Ap., 21. 

Eucharist food of soul, 

ii, 122. 
Holy Ghost, i, 9. 
Ghost, procession of, 

i, 110 
Ghost, teacher of 

Truth, Ap., 39. 
Ghost, abiding pres- 
ence of, i, 113. 
Holy men of old, Ap., 55. 

name of Jesus, Ap., 27 u 

Oils, Ap., 13. 



Holy Orders, iii, 223. 

Orders, instituted by 

Christ, iii, 228. 

Orders, their matter 

and form, iii, 225. 

Saturday, i, 104. 

water, Ap., 14. 

Homicide, when lawful, 

ii, 71. 
Honoring Blessed Virgin 

Mary, ii, 17, iii, 43. 

parents, ii, 55. 

Hope, i, 142. 
Human Soul, i, 36. 

Soul, faculties of, i, 36. 

Hypocrisy, ii, 90. 

Idleness, ii, 98. 
Idolatry, ii, 27. 
Ill-gotten goods, ii, 85. 
Images, ii, 31. 
Immaculate Conception, 
Ap.,50. 

Conception, Council 

of Basle and Council of 
Trent, Ap., 53. 

Conception, definition 

of dogma, Ap., 54. 
Conception, proofs of. 

Ap., 51. 
Conception, proofs of, 

from Fathers, Ap., 52. 
Immortality of the body, 

iii, 271. 

of human soul, i, 36. 

Indefectibility, i, 126. 
Indulgences, iii, 213. 

, conditions of, iii, 218. 

, not a pardon of sin, 

iii, 222. 
, plenary and partial, 

iii, 217 
, power of granting, 

iii, 215. 

, the basis of, iii, 214. 

, utility of, iii, 221. 

Infallibility not impecca- 

bilitv, i, 135. 

of Church, i, 129. 

of Pope, i, 134. 



454 



CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 



Infants dying without 
Baptism, iii, 103. 

Infidels, ii, 20. 

Injurious words, ii, 76. 

Injustice, ii, 82. 

Institution of Blessed 
Eucharist, i, 77. 

Intemperance a source of 
temptation, ii, 99. 

Intention of Pope, iii, 219. 

Interpretation of Script- 
ure, i, 16. 

Invocation of Saints, ii, 
30. 

Isaac, i, 50. 

Isaias foretells Christ, i,61. 

Jacob, i, 51. 

Jehosaphat, iii, 276. 

Jesus Christ, i, 96. 

Jocose lies, ii, 89. 

John the Baptist, i, 59. 

Joy in heaven, iii, 285. 

Jubilee, iii, 220. 

Judicial office of the con- 
fessor, iii, 176. 

Judge of controversy, i, 18. 

Judgment after death, iii, 
258. 

Jurisdiction in relation to 
Penance, iii, 171 

Justice, i, 148. 

of God, iii, 265. 

Kneeling at prayer, iii, 18 
Knowledge of Law, ii, 15. 
of mysteries, i, 27. 

Labor a prayer, iii, 13. 
Law, ii, 1-10. 

of Moses, i, 52. 

Lent, Ap., 63. 

a blessing, Ap., 64. 

mode of observing, 

Ap., 64. 

object of, Ap., 64. 

Light of glory, iii, 262. 

of reason, i, 54. 

Limbo, i, 103. 
Limit of Law, ii, 13. 



Litanies, Ap., 67. 

Litany of Loretto, iii, 48. 

Little children, i, 72. 

Loaves and fishes, i, 67. 

Longanimity, iii, 129. 

11 Lord, I am not worthy,' 
iii, 162. 

Lord's Prayer, iii, 27. 

its origin, iii, 28. 

Love of enemies, ii, 106. 

of neighbor, ii, 105. 

Lukewarmness in com- 
munion, iii, 166. 

Lunette, the, Ap., 79. 

Lying, ii, 87. 

Magi, Ap., 29. 

Magic arts, ii, 34, Ap., 3. 

Man, i, 35. 

Maniple, Ap., 85. 

Marriage a contract, iii, 

233. 

a sacrament, iii, 234. 

contracted in state of 

sin a sacrilege, iii, 237. 

dispensations, iii, 243. 

impediments, iii, 243. 

Violation of vows, iii, 

242. 
Marks of true Church, i, 

122 
Mary, Mother of God, iii, 

44. 
Mass, aids to hearing it, 

iii, 74. 

chief parts of, iii, 60. 

absence from, ii, 112. 

Apostolic, iii, 67. 

-ceremonies, iii, 73-80. 

efficacious, iii, 69. 

faulty manner of hear- 
ing, iii, 77. 

for Avhom said, iii, 66. 

instituted by Christ, 

iii, 54. 

hearing of, iii, 72. 

the Christian sacrifice, 

iii, 53. 

true sacrifice, iii, 57. 

translations of, iii, 79. 



INDEX. 



455 



Mass, use of Latin, iii, 78. 

value of, iii, 76. 

Matrimony, iii, 232. 

parents consent, iii, 240. 

its purposes, iii, 238. 

laws, iii, 238. 

preparation, iii, 236. 

Matthias elected, i, 89. 

Medicinal office of confes- 
sor, iii, 177. 

Melchisedec, his sacrifice, 
iii, 145. 

Men of prayer, iii, 15. 

Merit, iii, 6. 

Mercy to others, iii, 37 

Messiah, i, 53. 

Michaelmas, Ap., 47. 

Miracles, Ap., 1. 

object of, Ap., 2. 

Mission of Apostles, i, 86. 

to Gentiles, i, 92. 

Mitre, the, Ap., 92. 

Mixed marriages, iii, 237. 

Mother of God, iii, 44. 

Monstrance, Ap., 78. 

Morality of acts, ii, 7. 

Moral law, ii, 1. 

virtues, i, 146. 

Mortal sin, i, 155. 

Mortification, iii, 211. 

Motive and means good or 
bad, ii, 9. 

Motive of Faith, i, 26. 

Motives of charity, i, 144. 

Movable festivals, Ap., 20. 

Murder, ii, 69. 

Mutual duties of husband 
and wife, iii, 24*. 

Mysteries, i, 24. 

Mysterious and sacramen- 
tal presence, iii, 64. 

Natural Law, ii, 14. 

Neglect of prayer, iii, 14. 

New order of things in 
eternity, iii, 274. 

Testament, i, 15. 

Nicodemus, i, 63. 

Nuptial Mass and benedic- 
tion, iii, 244. 



Oaths and vows, ii, 41. 
Obedience for conscience' 

sake, ii, 65. 

to Church, ii, 125. 

to civil rulers, ii, 57- 

to law a duty, ii, 14. 

to parents, ii, 57. 

Object, good or bad, ii, 9. 
Oblation of Malachi, iii, 56. 
Occasions of merit, i, 46. 

of sin, ii, 96. 

Old dispensation, i, 48. 

Testament, i, 15. 

Ordination of clergy, iii, 

224. 
Original sin, i, 44. 

nature of, i, 45. 

" Our Father, who art in 

Heaven," iii, 29. 

Pain of loss, iii, 267. 

of sense, iii, 268. 

Pains of hell, iii, 267. 

Pallium, Ap.,93. 

Palm Sunday, Ap , 17, 32. 

Pange Lingua, Ap., 43. 

Parents bound to teach 
children, ii, 61. 

Paschal candle, Ap., 36. 

communion, ii, 120. 

Lamb, i, 51. 

Supper, i, 74. 

Paten, the, Ap., 76 ; 

11 Pe-ace be with you," iii, 
123. 

Pectoral Cross, Ap., 89. 

Penance, ii, 118. 

a sacrament, iii, 168. 

instituted by Christ. 

iii, 169. 

enjoined in confes- 
sion, iii, 209. 

forgives sin, iii, 170. 

its effects, iii, 174. 

-its matter and form, 

iii, 175. 

minister of, iii, 171. 

to be done, iii, 198. 

— — the performance of it, 
i, 102. 



456 



CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 



Pentecost, i, 111, Ap., 38. 

Perfections of God, i, 5. 

Perjury, ii, 45. 

Perpetual light, iii, 262. 

Peter, a rock, i, 69. 

chief pastor, i, 69. 

Pharisees, i, 70. 

Plays, forbidden, ii, 38. 

immoral, ii, 97. 

Pope, i, 94. 

Power of the keys, iii, 173. 

Prayer, iii, 9. 

— — object of, iii, 11. 

answered, iii, 20. 

-for whom, iii, 22. 

mental and vocal, iii, 

10. 

necessary, iii, 13. 

Prayers, approved iii, 24. 

Prayer, when we should 
pray, iii, 17. 

Preaching and miracles of 
Christ, i, 64. 

Precepts of Church, ii, 108. 

Preparation for Extreme 
Unction, iii, 254. 

Presumption, ii, 25. 

Priests alone offer sacri- 
fice, iii, 55. 

Probation of angels, i, 32. 

Procession of Blessed Sac- 
rament, Ap,, 42. 

Profane swearing, ii, 40. 

Professing the Faith, when 
necessary, ii, 22. 

Professional secrets, ii, 92. 

Profession of Faith, Ap., 94. 

Promised Land, i, 52. 

Promise of a Saviour, i, 43. 

of Paraclete, i, 87. 

Proof of Christ's divinity, 
i, 106. 

of the existence of 

God, i, 2. 

Providence of God, iii, 280. 

Prudence, i, 147. 

Public prayer, iii, 19. 

Punishment of murder, ii, 
70. 

Purgatory, iii, 259, 290. 



Purgatory, its duration, iii, 

297. 

-meditation on, iii, 296. 

pains of, iii, 294. 

-prayers for souls 

therein, iii, 295. 
proofs from reason ; 

iii, 293. 
from the Fathers, iii, 

292. 
Scripture proofs of, iii, 

291. 
Purification, the, Ap., 30. 
Purpose of amendment, 

iii, 204. 

Qualities of Confession. 
iii, 188. 

of prayer, iii, 16. 

Quarrels and broils, ii, 73. 

Rash Judgment, ii, 88. 

Real Presence, iii, 62. 

an article of Faith, iii, 

139. 

Redeemer, i, 99. 

Relative honor, ii, 33. 

Relics, ii, 32, Ap., 4. 

, cures through them, 

Ap., 5. 

honored, Ap., 6. 

memorials of the 

Saints, Ap., 7. 

Remedy for bad thoughts, 
ii, 101. 

Repairing injury, ii, 93. 

scandal, ii, 78. 

Reserving Blessed Sacra- 
ment, iii, 147. 

Respect due to bishops 
and priests, iii, 231. 

Restitution, ii, 86. 

Resurrection, Ap., 35. 
of body, iii, 269. 

of Christ, i, 84. 

of Just, i, 109. 

belief of Jews, iii, 270 

Revealing faults, ii, 92. 

Revelation, i, 15. 

Reviving grace, iii, 88. 



INDEX. 



457 



Ring of bishops, Ap., 90. 
Rogation days, Ap., 67. 
Roman Catholic, i, 127. 
Rosary, the, iii, 46, Ap., 72. 
Rule of Faith, i, 17. 
Rules of marriage, ii, 124. 

Sabbath breaking, ii, 51. 

day, ii, 47. 

Sacerdotal character, iii, 

229. 

vestments, Ap., 81. 

Sacramental character, iii, 

90. 

rite, iii, 85. 

Sacramentals, iii, 91, Ap.,8. 
Sacramental seal, iii, 192. 
Sacraments, iii, 83. 

and the chief spirit- 
ual needs of man, iii, 97. 

— — Christian, iii, 84. 

give grace, iii, 86. 

give special graces, 

iii, 89. 

constituted, iii, 92. 

minister of, iii, 93. 

of living, iii, 87. 

seven, iii, 95. 

Sacred Heart,Feast of,Ap., 
44. 

devotion to, Ap., 46. 

Sacred Scripture, i, 13. 

vessels, Ap., 75. 

Sacrifice, iii, 49. 

as worship, iii, 50. 

in the liturgical 

sense, iii, 52. 

of Cross and the 

Mass, iii, 63. 

Sacrifices of the C ] dLaw, 
iii, 51. 

Sacrilege, ii, 39. 

Saints' days, ii, 115. 

veneration of, ii, 28. 

hear prayers, ii, 29. 

Sameness of faith, i, 120. 

Sanctifying grace, iii, 2. 

Satisfaction, iii, 207. 

Saturday changed to Sun- 
day, ii, 54. 



Scandal, ii, 77. 
Scandalizing the young, 

ii, 78. 
Scapular, the, Ap., 80. 
Sea of Galilee, i, 70. 
See of Rome, i, 132. 
Second coming of Christ, 

iii, 276. 
Sermon on the Mount, i, 66. 
Sermons, ii, 50. 
Servants' duties, ii, 67. 
Service of God, i, 40. 
Seven gifts of Holy Ghost, 

iii, 128. 
Seventy-two disciples, i,71. 
Sharing in merits, iii, 286. 
Sheep and goats, iii, 278. 
Shekinah, iii, 142. 
Sign of Cross, Ap., 8. 
Sign of the Cross, how 

used, Ap., 10. 
Signs of sorrow, iii, 204. 

of the end, iii, 275. 

Simon Peter, i, 65. 
Sin, i, 154. 

of first Parents, i, 42. 

Sins against chastity, 

effects of, ii, 80. 

against charity, ii, 26. 

against parents, ii, 58. 

against religion, ii, 19. 

of the tongue, ii, 92. 

Slander, ii, 91. 

" Soldiers of Christ," iii, 

125. 
Solomon, i, 52. 
Soul, i, 36. 

Sources of doctrine, i, 12. 
Sorrow arising from love 

of God, iii, 206. 

motives of, iii, 205 

qualities of, iii, 203. 

Special devotions, Ap., 69. 

fruits of Mass, iii, 71. 

Spells and omens, ii, 37. 
Spiritual Communion, iii, 

165. 
Sponsors, iii, 110. 
Stations of the Cross, Ap., 

70. 



45§ 



CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. 



Stipend for Mass, iii, 71. 

Stole, the, Ap., 86. 

St. Paul, i, 91. 

St. Peter at Rome, i, 94. 

, life of, Ap., 61. 

St. Paul, life of, Ap., 62. 

Stubborn and unruly chil- 
dren, ii, 59. 

Successors of St. Peter, i, 
136. 

Sufficient grace, iii, 7. 

Suicide, ii, 72. 

Sunday, ii, 47. 

a day of rest and 

divine worship, ii, 52. 

our Sabbath, ii, 48. 

recreations, ii, 53. 

Superstition, ii, 34. 

Support of pastors, ii, 123. 

Swearing, ii, 40. 

Tartarus, iii, 267. 
Temperance, i, 150. 
Temporal blessings may 

be asked in prayer, iii, 21. 
Temporal penalty, iii, 212. 
Temptation, iii, 38. 

not always sin, ii, 95. 

test of virtue, iii, 39. 

Theological virtues, i, 139. 
Thoughts, good and bad, 

ii, 100. 
f 'Thy Kingdom come," 

iii, 33. 
" Thy Will be done," iii,34. 
Total abstinence, Ap., 66. 
Tradition, i, 19. 
Transfiguration, i, 73. 
Transmission of doctrine, 

i, 95. 



Transubstantiation iii, 133. 

formula of, iii, 61. 

Trinity, i, 6. 

True Church, i, 121. 

Two Natures in Christ, i, 

98. 
Types of Eucharist, iii, 59. 
of the Mass, iii, 58. 

Unchaste thought", ii, 94. 
Unhappy marriages, iii, 

241. 
Unity of Church, i, 123. 
Unlawful desires, ii, 94. 
Usury, ii, 82. 

Value of prayer, iii, 26. 

Venial sin, i, 157. 

Veni, sancte spiritus, Ap., 

40. 
Vespers, ii, 50. 
Vestments, Ap., 80. 

colors of t Ap., 88. 

Vexilla Regis, Ap., 33. 
Viaticum, iii, 159. 
Virtue, i, 137. 

supernatural, i, 381. 

helped by grace, i, 140. 

Visible head of Church, i, 

133. 
Vocation to religious state, 

iii, 230. 
Vows, ii, 46. 

Wages, ii, 85. 
Will of God, iii, 34. 
Works of mercy, iii, 282. 
Worship of God, ii, 1< 



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